


Lost and Found

by adelcrait



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Luke Skywalker, Enemies to Friends, Extensive Use of The Force, Father-Son Relationship, Force Visions (Star Wars), Found Family, Gen, Gray Jedi Luke Skywalker, Imperial Luke Skywalker, Near Death Experiences, No Twins, Secret Identity, Slow Burn, Suitless Darth Vader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 133,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24522103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adelcrait/pseuds/adelcrait
Summary: Emperor Palpatine and General Mothma of the Rebellion are missing. Darth Vader, unofficially in charge of the entire galaxy, pauses the civil war and offers the Alliance a deal. They send Luke Skywalker under a fake name and suppressing his powers to help Vader in solving the mystery that has the galaxy in chaos. Enemies to Friends AU.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker, Firmus Piett & Luke Skywalker, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker & Han Solo
Comments: 340
Kudos: 760





	1. The Disruption

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea back in January 2020 and have been writing it ever since. I have swam in this AU, drowned in it, daydreamed of it and seen it grow like a child. It has kept me up til late and my mind always goes back to this story. 
> 
> So, for context: the story is set after A New Hope, with the Death Star gone and the Empire looking for the pilot that destroyed it (Luke). However, Alderaan wasn't destroyed and so the Organas are alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's do this. A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away....

**_"cherche et tu trouveras;_ seek and you will find"**

Imperial officers whispered across the corridors and reverted their gaze when people of high ranks walked past them. No one spoke of it, but it was on everyone’s minds. The Empire didn’t understand the words “scandal” or “gossip”, but the rumours were there.

Coruscant was silent. The Imperial Security Bureau called every hour. The Admirals were inaccessible. The stormtroopers spent their time patrolling because there was nothing else to do. Imperial activity across the galaxy stopped. Imperials tried to guess what happened, but no one got it right. It was hardly impossible to get it right: only those who worked in the highest ranks knew the truth. 

The Emperor went missing six days ago. 

The ISB worked closely with the Emperor’s personal security, but the investigation led to nothing: no traceable flights from the Imperial Palace, no visitors, and all potential suspects had been interrogated and killed, but no one had any answers as to the Emperor’s location.

The Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet was torn between working with the ISB and fighting the Rebellion. The rebel attacks increased because his time was limited, and he didn't trust anyone with leading the defense. 

These were dark days for the Empire, and what was an Empire without an Emperor?

 **DAY EIGHT** _  
_

Admiral Piett ran through his schedule a few times before reaching the bridge. He walked towards the responsible for the transmissions, a pale young boy that looked like he was on the verge of death. His fingers were shaking as he kept glancing at the shadow that stood motionless staring at space.

He should have decoded a transmission hours ago. The boy mumbled, saying he was still working on it, that the encryption wasn’t in the database. Once the message was decrypted, Piett sent it to the Supreme Commander.

After the delivery the temperature in the Executor dropped a few degrees.

**DAY ELEVEN**

The Supreme Commander had vanished into his private offices, occasionally answering commlinks and giving vague orders that Admiral Piett didn’t understand. The ISB found ruins of one of Palpatine’s personal ships in the Malachor system, but it had crashed twenty-two days ago, and there were no corpses on board.

**DAY FOURTEEN**

The Supreme Commander’s temper had worsened because everyone thought he was the successor to the Empire. They couldn’t be more wrong. Palpatine never planned for succesors.

There were deaths in the Executor that were never reported. On day fourteen a cadet was killed because he made the mistake of running into the Supreme Commander, who had stopped noticing the bodies by his feet decades ago. 

Admiral Piett looks away when the bodies are disposed of. He gives the cadet’s squadron a day off under the pretense of illness. It's the least he can do.

**DAY SEVENTEEN**

The Supreme Commander ordered Admiral Piett to speak to him privately. Piett entered his offices with cold sweat at the back of his neck, and found him standing at the viewport. They exchanged zero pleasantries, and a few minutes later Piett left the rooms as Commander of the Executor for the time being.

The Supreme Commander took his shuttle and left the next day. 

**DAY EIGHTEEN – Imperial Centre**

From the outside, the Alliance was experiencing the two calmest weeks since their creation: with no defences to plan and zero rescuing missions. Wishful thinking would make them believe that peace had been restored in the galaxy, and no one knew why. 

From the inside, the Alliance was falling apart. General Mon Mothma had been missing for two weeks.

She disappeared from the base in Coruscant where High Command currently resided. Bail Organa hadn't slept properly in weeks, and Leia and the remaining Generals struggled to properly lead a Rebellion without a leader. 

Current circumstances led him to take deep breaths in the main meeting room. It was wide and spaceous, with a long table in the middle and a whiteboard near the door. He had received a message and wanted to rip his eyes off.

Luke Skywalker walked into the room, followed by a floating cup of coffee, a floating bag of sugar and a spoon in his mouth. He was dressed in black, and Bail wondered if it was intentional. “What’s up?” asked Luke with a yawn. 

Bail wondered how to possibly address this calmly. He was anything but calm, and he didn't want to spread his panic, but if there was anyone in the base that could handle the truth it was Luke. He took a deep breath.

“Darth Vader is outside," confessed Bail, and the floating cup almost fell to the floor but Luke caught it, “He wants to talk.”

Luke took the spoon out of his mouth and stared at Bail as if he was a stranger. “He wants to _talk_ _?_ Oh, good,” he laughed, “I think I have some caf left. Should I go and ask him if he takes it with sugar before the kettle boils?” 

Bail refused to see traits of Luke's father in him because Luke was nothing like Anakin Skywalker. He wasn't as close to him as Padmé was, rest her soul, he thought, but he heard stories from the clone wars. Luke wasn't impulsive or reckless, but sometimes they were too alike, and in moments like these he could firmly remember Obi-Wan Kenobi’s complaints about Anakin’s sarcasm.

“Enough. This is serious.”

Luke sat in an empty chair next to Bail, opening the sugar bag and mixing the beverage. “I am serious. Are _you_? We should be evacuating the base right now. How does he even know we're here?” he said as he blew air to the cup. He looked at the room and saw a bin on the other side of it, and used the Force to throw the bag of sugar into it.

“Leia’s onto it as we speak.” said Bail, who could hardly keep up with the Force gestures. He had been a Senator, not a Jedi. 

“Is this about Mothma? I thought you said the Empire had nothing to do with it.”

“Force knows what he wants.” muffled Bail under his breath. If Darth Vader wanted to attack the base he wouldn't wait outside the door, and the perimeter around the base had been checked. He was alone, and there was no imperial presence within a few miles. Considering their base was near the center of Coruscant, a few hundred miles of no imperial control were rare. 

“Are we seriously letting him in?” asked Luke, taking a sip of caf and ignoring how it burnt his tongue, at least it distracted his body from the adrenaline. He had ran into Vader's TIE Fighter a couple of times before, but he had never met him in person, and up until a minute ago he thought he never would. 

Bail smiled politely. “Five more minutes, let’s give Leia some time. I also need you to do something for me. It's not much but I must guarantee your safety.”

“I'm capable of handling myself,” protested Luke, and accidentally made a chair float on the other side of the room. "It's not my first day in the Alliance."

“Need I remind you that your father was a Jedi and you’re carrying his lightsaber _and_ name for anyone to see? I suggest you use a different name,” said Bail, “and hide your weapon.” 

Luke's lightsaber flew out of his belt and into the ventilation shaft. “Do you have any spare names, then?” asked Luke humorously. 

Bail thought for a moment. “Ben Starkiller?”

The chair in the air hit the ground. “Ben Starkiller! You must be joking,” he laughed, “I admit my own name is ridiculous but a star killer? Bail, that was the death star.” A pinch of guilt stung his soul. “Are you meeting him in this room?”

Bail nodded. “I suppose, it's not like he called in for a reservation.” He wiped cold sweat from his front. “We better get going now. I don't think it's wise to keep him waiting, Commander Starkiller.”

Luke rolled his eyes at the new alias and jogged along. Bail found it impressive that even under tense circumstances Luke remained cheerful. They reached the entrance and Luke was starting to feel cold, even under three layers of black clothing. The Force felt weird. “How long has he been waiting?” 

Bail looked at his watch nervously, his mouth dry. “Twenty minutes.”

“Rare for an imperial.”

“Even rarer for a Sith Lord.”

“What? Waiting?” asked Luke.

“That, and showing up to _talk_.”

Luke laughed to ignore his own anxieties. He raised his shields higher than usual, nearly disappearing from the Force. He felt like he lost a limb, and knew he would have to adapt to this if he didn't want to die.

Bail took a deep breath and opened the door with shaky hands, and Luke felt someone's surprise on the other side. 

He took a step back. 

Darth Vader had already scanned the base from the few seconds the door was open. It was what he suspected. “I trust the evacuation has gone well.”

*** * ***

Luke had heard descriptions of Darth Vader, but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer cold that hit him through the Force. He had to physically hold himself back from shivering, or else he would give away his Force-sensitivity and that would be the last thing he would do. 

Darth Vader was not a cyborg. The man in front of him was tall, but not a giant as people described. He wore dark clothing and boots with a bit of a platform and a silky black cloak, but what got the most of Luke’s attention was his mask. Luke heard that people with health problems wore masks to aid the breathing process, but the man had no medical systems attached to his body. It seemed pretty useless to him.

Bail opened his mouth to speak but Vader interrupted him. “Let us spare the pleasantries, General Organa. Regardless of what you thought would happen here, I come to discuss a proposition.” he said eerily calm, his voice half-robotic by the mask. 

They both wondered how Darth Vader knew Bail's name since his identity to the Empire was a secret. But if Darth Vader somehow knew the location of this base perhaps the imperials knew more than they suspected. 

“Of course, Lord Vader,” said Bail, clenching his teeth in fear, and then gestured to Luke, “This is Commander Starkiller and he will be joining us.”

Luke nodded in acknowledgment, ignoring his hatred and fear of the man, but Vader paid him no attention. They walked past him and Luke shivered. The closer he was to Darth Vader physically, the more the Force screamed in his ear. It felt like burning and then being thrown into cold water. All his senses ached, but he merely blinked and followed them. 

The image was ridiculous. Darth Vader stood taller than Bail and occasionally tilted his helmet to inspect the base, and Luke was never more glad that Leia evacuated. There probably were missiles pointed at the base right now. 

Bail guided them into the previous room and took a seat at the giant table and Luke hovered uncomfortably behind him. 

Darth Vader didn't sit down but stood opposite him, hands behind his back. “I have been informed of the recent developments with your leader.”

Bail clenched his fists under the table, but maintained his impassive face. Both Luke and Vader sensed his anxieties. “From what sources?”

“The Empire is not responsible for her disappearance.” said Vader. 

“And I should take your word for truth, Lord Vader?”

Vader created a tornado in the Force and Luke almost flinched. “It is not of my concern what you do. I wish to discuss a proposition. I am here to...” he said fast, and then hesitated at the next words, “...aid you in your search.”

Luke felt a shiver on his neck, but Bail Organa was, as most trained politicians were, unimpressed. “Now, why would you do that?”

“The Emperor has not been seen nor heard of during the last two weeks. This is an extremely rare occurrence, and I have received an anonymous transmission that stated he has been kidnapped.”

Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted to jump into his X-Wing and leave the atmosphere to get rid of his adrenaline. The Emperor was probably dead. They should be celebrating. The war could be _over_!

Bail spoke. “I understand that both occurrences are not coincidental, but I fail to understand what are your personal interests in recovering _our_ leader. You have enough work with rescuing the Emperor, why aid the enemy?”

“The aforementioned transmission we received,” said Vader, “was an ultimatum.” 

Bail frowned for a second and then regained his façade back. 

Vader's presence in the Force shifted towards annoyance. “The Empire must be disassembled or the life of the Emperor is at stake.” 

“You must understand how beneficial that is to us.” said Bail without a second thought.

“Your leader is also missing, what are the chances this was a double kidnapping? The war would stop if both leaders are missing.” said Vader, his anger flooding the room. Luke only showed his discomfort by blinking slower and staring ahead. He felt like his bones would break any moment. He wanted to put distance between Darth Vader and him, or simply tell him to calm down.

“Why would anyone want to kidnap two leaders that oppose each other? It would only be natural to kidnap one of them and dismantle the other.” asked Bail.

“Precisely, General. Now that we have seemed to reach a common ground, I suggest truce for the time being until both are rescued.”

“Truce will not rescue them.” stated Bail.

“Truce will give us a window of opportunity to collaborate in the search tasks. If I am right in believing that the same person is behind both kidnappings, then there is a high chance that the kidnapping circumstances were similar. I offer cooperation and suggest, for your sake, that you take it.”

Bail was beyond words. The Emperor missing explained the Empire's low activity the last two weeks and it was his duty to keep it that way. But if Darth Vader was telling the truth and there was someone capable of kidnapping Palpatine, a Sith Lord, there was a new danger to the galaxy. More than the Emperor.

“I accept.” 

Darth Vader seemed to be immune to any sorts of emotions or physical reactions. “I trust this base has been evacuated for no reason?”

“I will not disclose–”

Vader, sensing his thoughts, interrupted him. “There is no time for that. We will take on the search ourselves, unless you have some other pressing matters at hand?” he asked with a hint of threat. 

Luke's bones felt like they were being shattered, so he spoke without thinking. “I believe that is a yes. I think as of now there is nothing more important than rescue.” 

Vader's never ending rage was a tsunami that stopped at Luke's voice. Luke loved this part of his job: speaking when people didn't expect it. He loved the confused reactions but this time he thought he might have overestimated his freedom of speech as a simple bodyguard, as sickening as that was to him.

“Commander Starkiller, was it not?” asked Vader, addressing Luke.

Luke nodded one time, maintaining straight eye contact with the man in front of him. To his own surprise, he didn't feel fear but curiosity. The only Force-sensitive he had ever met was Ben Kenobi and he hadn’t heard from him since he left Tatooine. But bonding with the enemy over something only one of you knows you share wasn’t a good idea. Neither was bonding with the Empire, and certainly _not_ bonding with Darth Vader. 

“Are you a bodyguard?” asked Vader. 

Bail spoke for him. “For the purpose of this meeting, yes. Commander Starkiller is the best at what he does. He will be of great assistance.” 

Luke ignored what 'the best at what he does' meant. The Empire still had a bounty placed on the pilot that destroyed the Death Star. He _really_ couldn't afford the compliments now.

“Very well. I suppose the disappearance was in this building.” said Vader.

“Yes, she had a meeting scheduled but did not come. Commander Starkiller found her commlink near the hangar doors.” said Bail. Luke refused to believe he was going to play detective with Darth Vader. Had he been told that when he woke up that this would be his life, he wouldn't have believed it. 

Bail led them to an emergency exit near the main hangar where Luke found Mothma's commlink a week ago. Vader's presence in the Force was like glass that shattered and put itself back together every few minutes. Sometimes it shattered because of external stimuli, other times for reasons unknown to Luke. Darth Vader was curious to observe, he just had to make sure Vader didn't know he was being observed.

“Was she Force-sensitive?” asked Vader, “This room is flooded with the Force.”

Luke cursed himself for not realising he practically stunk from the Force. It was not a habit he was used to as nobody around him was Force-sensitive to notice his trails. “We don't know, sir. She might have been, but she's never shown any particular abilities.” said Luke. According to Han his years of spying made him a damn good liar.

“You do not need to show any particular abilities to be Force-sensitive, Commander.” spat Vader.

“I wouldn't know, sir. You're the first Force-sensitive I have met.” answered Luke, annoyed. Bail was throwing daggers at him with his eyes.

“Is that supposed to please me anyhow, Commander?” said Vader, his tone dangerous.

Bail was sweating. He didn't understand how Obi-Wan could handle Luke’s father, because he certainly couldn't keep Luke out of danger. The boy was a magnet.

Luke was testing waters to see how far he could go with Vader. If he had to work with him, he couldn't keep walking around eggshells and scanning for any signs of murder. “It would be better for you if it pleased you, but I just want to get this done so everything can go back to normal,” explained Luke, and all eyes landed on him. “Which, by the way, what does the Force have to do with anything? Maybe whoever took her has it.”

Vader snorted silently. “I believe that would not be possible.” 

“Why not?” asked Luke.

“Because the Emperor is very strong in the Force. If whoever took him knew this, the kidnapping was suicide from their part.” said Vader, admitting to himself that he wouldn't have shared this information with anyone. He was going to kill Organa and the Commander by the time their work was over.

Luke moved to inspect a metal box connected to the gate, and Vader watched him closely. 

“The gate is unopenable from the exterior. This system prevents it. Whoever took her came from the inside.” explaines Vader. Luke sighed and continued dismantling the system wire by wire, careful not to break it so he could put it back together later. 

“Impossible. Why would anyone from the Alliance kidnap its own leader?” asked Bail.

“Why do terrorist organisations end up dismantling themselves from the inside?” replied Vader with the same tone. 

Bail flinched at the use of words and glanced at Luke. He knew it was a touchy subject for him after destroying the death star. Luke said he heard all the screams and panic within his own heart, but it had to be done. Bail saw traces of Padmé in him that day, and his heart grew for the boy.

“All organisations can be dismantled from the outside or from the inside. The method doesn't matter, the outcome does.” said Luke casually, as if discussing the weather and not being accused of terrorism by Darth Vader. 

Vader was impressed. He knew that Bail was faking his calmness because he was a politician, but the boy was something else. Not only had he openly opposed him several times now, but he was also refusing his accusations. He was also impressed at how skilled the boy was in mechanics. He had only looked at the opening system and was already pulling out wires with surgical precision and discussing the wiring possibilities and how the gate could be opened. He kept interrupting Luke's monologue by correcting him on the most technical aspects of the wiring, but Luke just nodded and continued his work, not wanting to argue back. 

Meanwhile, Luke was holding back hysterical sobs ever since Darth Vader mentioned the Force. Han’s assurances that he was a good liar maintained his confidence each time Vader stared at him, almost trying to look through him. Luke cared more about his cover as 'Ben Starkiller, the door-opening-system mechanic, a stranger to whatever “the Force” was', than his actual place as an investigator. 

Vader had proposed dismantling the system to see if there was any wiring that could indicate the door was opened from the outside. Luke thought it was a good idea, even if he simply nodded and did what was asked of him. He took the opportunity to try his personal plan. After all, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and Force help him if he wasn't going to at least try to milk the cow. 

“You're good at this, sir.” said Luke nonchalantly while following a wire with his finger to its start. 

When Vader didn't answer, he tried again. “Have you ever worked with these types of systems before?” he asked, eyes locked inside the box. “The wiring is terrible.”

Vader deadpanned and wondered if the boy was attempting to make small talk with him. Just before he was about to scold him for inappropriate manners, Luke spoke again. 

“Got it. This one's odd.” he said, handing over one small yellow wire to Vader. He took it hesitantly, almost expecting it to explode. Luke then stretched and yawned and Vader was grateful he was wearing his mask because he was in shock. 

“Your lack of manners is most unacceptable.”

“But this cable stands out. It doesn't match the manufacturer.” said Luke, ignoring the Empire's second in command scolding of him. 

“This is what happens when you purchase wiring from external manufacturers. Since you clearly know enough about security systems, Commander, why don't you request you handle the wiring of all rebel bases yourself?” asked Vader, with a hint of mockery and warning in his robotic voice. 

Luke was still actively milking the cow, searching for his lightsaber through the Force just to secure its location. “Nah, that’s too much work,” he said, wiping his hands on a cloth that lay in a shelf, “Besides, things like this don’t usually happen around here. Kidnappings!” he smiled, “Nobody would break in if it wasn't with a goal."

"Besides, again— if you wanted to enter from the outside you would need to change the entire wiring and that takes too long without anybody noticing. And not only change it, but purchase it and hide any visible marks of modification. Besides–”

Bail, who had been watching the interaction with terror, had enough. “Ben.”

“Besides–,” continued Luke, “the kidnapper would have to be very clueless to do that without first getting rid of that security camera.” 

Bail's neck snapped into the direction of Luke's hand and saw a small black dot in the upper corner of a room. “The footage has probably been wiped after the evacuation.” 

“I don't see any reasons for us to wipe it if we knew the evacuation was temporary and we would be staying here. Have any of the Generals checked it before they left?” asked Luke, and Vader couldn't believe their stupidity. The rebels wouldn't last a day aboard the Executor, where everything and everyone operated on millimetric precision.

Bail frowned. “What do you mean? I thought _you_ checked it.” he whispered.

Luke frowned back. “No I didn't! Where did you get that from?”

“The lady in charge of security told me there was no need for checking because Commander _Sk_ -Starkiller had already done so!” said Bail, dropping his calm voice.

Luke walked to him. “Well, I am telling you now, I didn't check anything. And who is that woman you’re talking about? Herik is in charge of security...?”

That's all it took for Vader to snap. “Do you agree that the kidnapping was an inside job or are you still going to argue over pointless matters?”

Luke tightened his jaw and simply nodded. It's not like had any other choice. He was sure Darth Vader was already being patient enough with them. He looked at Darth Vader and felt like he was staring at him too, but luckily they both sensed Bail's growing anxiety and turned to look at him.

Bail was reaching for his commlink as fast as he could. “Cancel the meeting. Do you copy? General, cancel the meeting.”

“What meeting?” asked Darth Vader with the loose wire in his black globe. Luke stood next to him, equally confused, wiping his oily hands on a cloth. 

From the commlink a voice answered and Bail held onto the commlink for his dear life, forgetting his oath not to show weakness in front of Darth Vader. “Cancel the meeting and put the base on lockdown.”

“What's going on?” asked Leia. “I can't cancel the meeting, everyone's already here.”

“Great, keep them in there. Invent some excuse, talk them through it— you know best. But under any circumstances, don't let anyone walk out of the building. Enhance the security measures and don't allow anyone but Herik,” he said and then stopped to look at Luke, to confirm if the name was correct, to which Luke nodded, “...to enter the security room. I will be there as soon as possible.”

Darth Vader crossed his arms and spoke. “You have decided to keep the other base in lockdown and search for the woman yourself. But going back and forth will only kill time, which we do not currently have. I suggest a split-up.” said Vader, and for a massive murderer Bail had to admit Darth Vader made some sense.

“Commander Starkiller and I will inquire about this wiring at the manufacturers’ headquarters. You will keep the second base locked and find the woman. Commander, do you have any means to contact this man?”

Luke frowned at the strange use of words but nodded. 

“Very well,” said Vader, storming out of the room. “Commander, follow me.”

Bail and Luke looked at each other in panic, trying to process what had happened in the last hour. They talked with their gazes and Luke nodded slowly, trying to reassure Bail that he would be alright. He jogged to keep up with Vader's speed, following the path of rage and ice through the Force.

It was in vain, because Bail was already head deep as to how he was going to tell Leia that Luke and Darth Vader had just bonded over a wire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more things for context: 
> 
> a) Luke is Anakin and Padmé's only child in this fic. Raised by the Lars on Tatooine. Leia is adopted by the Organas anyway, but she's not a Skywalker in this story. 
> 
> b) Bail doesn't suspect Vader is Anakin, but knows about Luke's parentage. He thinks Anakin died during Order 66 and Padmé in childbirth.


	2. In His Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke "I despise you but you need to sleep" Skywalker, and Darth "Whose child is this?" Vader terrorize a retail worker.

  
**"Maybe you have to go far away  
** **To learn where it is that names you.”**

**DAY EIGHTEEN — CORUSCANT**

The rebel base in Coruscant was underground inside an artificial hill. Darth Vader led the way out, too quiet for someone with so much blood on his hands. If silence could scream, the silence between them would. Luke followed him to an empty field behind the base and saw a small imperial looking shuttle, but he didn't recognize the model and it looked like it was built from scratch. Going inside felt like a death sentence, with the executioner leading him in.

The first thing that came to Luke's mind was how cold and empty the ship was, its dark walls and grey tiles doing nothing to warm it up. But it's not like Darth Vader cared about interior design.  
  
Luke saw the black cape disappear behind the single pilot seat and he walked towards it, hovering behind him awkwardly. He leaned against the wall, praying that Darth Vader wouldn't talk.

Luckily, Vader didn't say anything and took off silently. Luke then understood why the scanners in the base hadn't intercepted the ship: whatever model this was, it was nearly invisible to radars. He hoped this was the only model because if the Empire had these, the Rebellion wouldn't last a day.

Luke observed the controls and saw the blur passing of the city from the glass. He was obsessed with the way Vader handled the ship, he realised when he couldn't get his eyes off the wheel, and thought that the battlefront had missed a great pilot when Vader decided to be in command instead. 

He snapped himself out of his thoughts when he realised that he _did_ want Vader to stay out of the battlefront, that's probably how the Rebellion won so many battles. 

He sensed Vader relaxing slightly, gripping the controls tighter, and then he spoke. “Do you fly, Commander?” asked Vader.

Luke swallowed as silently as he could and considered what he would answer. “Sometimes sir, I have flown the unflyable in unflyable conditions.” he said, a brief image of the Tatooine winds coming back to him. He was the only person besides his father to win the Boonta Eve Classic on Tatooine. He got scolded for over a month for that, but knowing that he had followed his father's footsteps was enough for him.

“You are way too skilled to strike me as a person who does not fly often.”

Luke let out a small smile, not worrying that Vader could see him as the man was staring at the city. “I accept all the chances I am offered, but I'm sure that you understand how restrictive official duties can be, sir. What do _you_ fly? The Destroyers don't count.” he said, feeling brave. 

The Force shook in danger and Luke knew he had overstepped. “Do not speak.”

Luke nodded quietly. Apparently Vader also applied the rule of speak when spoken to.

An eternity later they landed on a cemented clear on the outskirts of the cities and entered a tall warehouse. Luke saw from the corner of his eye one worker standing with her back to them. Unfortunately to him, Vader was already approaching her.

“We have questions.” announced Vader for the sake of formality. The woman flinched and turned around angrily to demand the intruders to leave. 

She froze when she saw Darth Vader. “Who let you in?” she asked, her voice shaking with faked confidence. “We just closed, sir.”

In the Force Vader exuded anger. For a Sith Lord, the man had no shields, all his emotions were transparent as water.

Luke decided to take the situation into his hands before someone died. “Good afternoon–,” said Luke, looking at her name on the nametag, “Liana. I'm Ben. Excuse us for interrupting, we have a couple of questions we would like to ask. We let ourselves in and you have my apologies for the intrusion but this is an important matter.”

Vader tapped his feet against the floor impatiently. If they had done things his way they would already have answers.

“Whatever you need.” she said suspiciously. Vader's staring wasn't helping her relax at all.

“Recently someone bought this type of wiring, and we were wondering if we could see the records.” said Luke, showing her the wire.

“What for?” she asked. 

“Imperial business.” spat Vader, crossing his arms.

Liana nodded and guided them to a small office. “Can I see the wiring?” she asked, and Luke handed it to her.

Vader stood behind them like a pillar, bodyguarding the door. Liana frowned and got closer at the computer. “I don't think it's-”

“Miss, we do not have all day.” stated Vader. 

Liana tensed. “These wires were all sold to the Imperial fleet, sir.” She looked at Darth Vader. He was known for being the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet across the entire galaxy, how could he not know this?

The temperature in the room dropped and Luke leaned closer to the monitor. He didn't know who caused the Force to shiver anymore. “Is there a register of names?” 

“There are no names, sir. It's business purchased material.”

“When were they bought?” asked Luke.  
  
Vader was strangely quiet, but Luke knew he was listening, because his bones ached more than usual. The supernova that was Vader in the Force burned.

“Second of this month.”

“It's the twenty-eighth today...” said Luke to himself, turning to face Vader, and then things clicked.

Luke stormed out of the room, his footsteps echoing across the tall ceilings of the warehouse. Vader followed him, forgetting about Liana, who exhaled deeply when they left the room. “I have said before that the Empire is not responsible for any of this.” explained Vader, easily catching up to Luke. “It is easy to forge a name.”

Luke was halfway out the door when he stopped on his tracks and turned to face Vader. “You're saying someone has planned a set up on the Empire? Who in the right mind would do that?”

Vader crossed his arms and didn't say anything. He was waiting.

Luke realised what that meant. “Oh no,” he laughed, “The Rebellion has nothing to do with this! We have no reason to kidnap our own General and send a Commander on a treasure hunt with _you_.”

“Who says she has been kidnapped?” said Vader, standing dangerously close to Luke. “Perhaps you have sent her somewhere else and kidnapped the Emperor.” 

Luke didn't move. “You said it yourself that the Emperor had the Force. There's no way a normal person would be able to harm him.”

"Perhaps there is someone Force-sensitive in the Rebellion?” suggested Vader slowly, tilting his mask to look at him. 

Luke knew better than to surrender to intimidation tactics. It wasn't his first day as a rebel. “We would have been made aware of that fact, sir.” said Luke calmly, staring at his own reflection in the dark lenses. “Perhaps we are being set up against each other. Could you remind me of the transmission you received?”

They went back to the ship in silence, and Vader played the transmission to Luke. There were two voices.

_“As you are well aware by now the Emperor is gone.”_

Luke froze. The voice was so familiar, but he couldn't place it.

_“It would be a shame if something happened to him.”_

_"State your inquiries.”_ said the Vader from the transmission.

The actual Vader paused the recording and spoke. “I needed to buy time to trace the call.”

”Did it work?” asked Luke.

”No, the call was untraceable, _Commander_.” said Vader. Luke couldn't believe a grown man used pettiness to remind him of using his official title when addressing him.   
  
Vader pressed play.

_“These are not inquiries. They're orders: destroy the Empire or he dies.”_

_“Why does the Empire concern you?”_

_“It gets in the way of my plans.”_

_“What plans? Something could be worked out from this unnecessary situation. There is no need for you to take such high risks. I will find you.”_

_“He is unconscious now, if you're wondering.”_

Luke almost used the Force to enter a meditative state, but stopped last second. His bones still ached under Vader's stare. 

Vader watched the boy curiously, leaning his head on his palm and elbow on the controls. Anyone else would be terrified of being in a close room with him, even his own Admirals. 

Yet this insignificant Commander wasn't afraid of him.

He didn't like this.

Luke snapped out of his trance and held himself against the wall, out of breath. “I know who he is," he said, and looked at Vader like he was seeing ghosts, “We need to go to Tatooine."

Vader stared at him.

And stared.

“No.”   
  
“What?” asked Luke. He couldn't believe this. He just tracked down a voice that imperial intelligence couldn't for weeks!

Vader spun on his seat to avoid facing him. “No.”

“That man, he's on Tatooine, sir. Are you familiar with the planet? There's a crime lord called Jabba. Last time I checked he worked with the Empire.”

Vader stared at the panel in front of him. He considered flying to the furthest point of Coruscant and leaving the Commander there.

Luke, painfully aware of Vader's anger, continued speaking. “I have met him once. He lives in a palace in the Dune Sea, like a desert. Tatooine is really all desert and sand, Lord help me, insufferable,” he spoke a bit too cheerfully but it was all an act because he was watching every muscle twitch of Vader’s. He couldn't keep his guard down if he wanted to survive. “Jabba has many slaves but the voice in the message? It was Bib Fortuna, sir.”

“I'm unfamiliar with those names,” said Vader, and Luke could sense the lie from systems away. “And you suggest going to Tatooine to see that man?”

“He is a Twi'lek, pink eyes, chief of staff. But I don’t see him capable of handling a kidnapping of this scale.”

“We do not have time to guess, Commander,” spat Vader, “Tatooine is on the Outer Rim. It will take time we don't have to reach it.”

“With all due respect sir, do we have any other leads?” asked Luke carefully. He met children more cooperative than Darth Vader.

“Are you convinced it is Fortuna?” asked Vader, having recognised the voice himself after Luke mentioned it. 

Luke confirmed it again, and Vader nodded. They were in orbit a few seconds after, Luke's stomach doing backflips at the speed Vader took of.

Luke took that as his punishment for doing his job correctly. He understood why the people that worked on his flagship were scarred for life. If this was what he got for doing what Vader wanted, he didn't even want to _think_ what he would do if he disobeyed.

"Twenty standard hours to Tatooine," said Vader, and Luke saw that he set the coordinates without looking them up, "It is a waste of time."

The ship jumped to hyperspace and Vader stood up. “Give me your commlink.”

Luke frowned. 

“I do not want to spend the next hours in conversation, and I will not leave you to your own devices. You are free to do as you wish, but if you touch anything or something is misplaced I will leave you on Tatooine.” said Vader, and Luke frowned, not used to being treated like a child.

“The commlink, Commander.” he ordered, extending his hand, and Luke gave it reluctantly. “For your sake, do not interrupt me. Is that understood?”

Luke nodded and watched Vader enter a room, locking it with a swish of a hand.

Luke exhaled deeply and sat on the floor, finally letting his guard down. He still felt dizzy from Vader's sudden take off, and now he could finally wince from the pain in his bones. He tried stretching, but it did nothing. The pain wasn't physical, it was in his blood.  
  
His thoughts were all over the place. From a few hours of knowing Darth Vader, Luke had drawn a few conclusions: firstly, the man was overly dramatic and had no temper, which was no surprise given his reputation.

Secondly, he could be reasoned with if the arguments were logical enough.

Thirdly, Vader was very precise and a schemer— and Luke wondered in how many wars Vader fought, which led him to another conclusion: Darth Vader was far more interesting and less threatening than he was made to be. He was also the best pilot he had ever seen, and behind all the layers of threats and madness there seemed to be sarcasm and sharp intelligence.

Luke allowed himself to think, for only a brief moment, that if the circumstances were different, Darth Vader and him could have been friends.

* * *

**DAY EIGHTEEN — FOUR HOURS LATER, SOMEWHERE IN HYPERSPACE  
(The Hyperspace Would Rather Be Anywhere Else Right Now, Far From These Two)**

Luke had been meditating on the floor and trying to ignore Vader's presence in the Force, which was impossible because the man had the strongest connection to the Force in the galaxy. Like being near a star **—** you couldn't ignore it. He also couldn't risk using the Force to meditate, so he attempted normal meditation that Leia taught him. 

Vader went to check the coordinates and status of the ship, even if Luke had already been keeping an eye on it. He wasn't going to die in hyperspace with Darth Vader; that was not the way he would go.

Upon checking that everything was functional, Vader walked back to the room he came out of, but stopped midway. Luke felt it too. 

They were slowing down.

The Force was screaming Danger.

Luke and Vader went for the controls at the same time, but Luke slowed down. Vader sat down and pressed status report buttons, but the ship wasn't responding. "What have you done?" he asked angrily.

Luke watched Vader try to figure out what was wrong. The danger the Force warned them about was getting closer. "Nothing! If this ship crashes we _both_ die, I have no reason to sabotage it." 

The ship started shaking and the lights went off. 

The blue of hyperspace was losing its brightness. For some seconds they were in complete darkness, stuck in between hyperspace and space, in the middle of that Nowhere area that functional ships flew by without noticing. 

No. He wouldn't die like this. “We need to drop out of hyperspace.”

Vader ignored him, but Luke wasn't having it. 

"Sir, we _must_ drop out of hyperspace."

"Hyperspace is fried," said Vader, "Engines are unresponsive."

"Can you maneouvre the ship to land?" asked Luke, leaning over the seat to see the controls. Somehow Vader was keeping the ship from exploding. 

Could he manevoure the ship to land? Who did this boy think he was?

"If there _is_ land–" said Vader.

Luke could care less. Any planet with Darth Vader was better than hyperspace with Darth Vader. On a planet at least he could run away.

"Then drop out of hyperspace, _now_!" ordered Luke, and Vader groaned. 

They dropped out of hyperspace in the atmosphere of a planet they couldn't see because the ship was in flames. Vader used the Force to keep them in check, and Luke had to dig his nails into his palm to keep himself from doing the same.

Simultaneously, Vader steered the ship towards land, and they crash-landed like a meterorite on an empty field. Luke winced after the crash and breathed heavily to get some oxygen into his brain, but Vader wasted no time on checking if the ship was safe to be in. Luke followed him dizzily, and waited while Vader used the Force to let down the ramp. 

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Allanteen."

Luke wasn't going to ask how Vader knew that. He really didn't want to know. 

The ramp fell open with a loud metallic noise, and as soon as the wind entered the ship, the Force sent them a wave of energy that felt like a slap on naked skin. They both took a step back. Luke's head spun from the slap, but he had to pretend he didn't feel anything. 

“The Force is strong on this planet.” commented Vader.

Luke followed him. “And it affects you that much?” he asked casually, wincing at his growing headache from all the things he was feeling. Vader's presence made his blood ache, the crash made him dizzy, and the Force was chaotic. 

Vader ignored the question and walked out. Luke followed and observed their surroundings: they had landed in the middle of a green field with some trees on the horizon. It could be much worse. If this was imperial territory and they were caught, the troopers might search for a Ben Starkiller in the imperial birth database, and if Vader was around and saw that he was lying about his own name....well. A green field alone with a clueless Darth Vader sounded nice.

He blinked.

He did not just think that.

Meanwhile, Vader opened a compartment on the exterior of the ship and pulled wires out. Luke watched him silently, occasionally dropping his guard down and looking around. It looked like it was about to rain and the wind was starting to pick up speed.

The Force was sending a warning again, but this time it was only to him. He heard another heartbeat in his head, and how it slowly weakened. He turned to look at Vader, who perhaps had already killed someone in his ten seconds absence, and turned around just in time to see his knees give in and fall to the ground.

Luke caught him before he could hit his head, hoping Vader wouldn't remark on his extraordinarily quick reflexes. He said his name several times, but there was no answer.

Luke felt a wave of panic shoot across his spine. He reached into the Force, careful not to show his presence, and saw that Vader's usual coldness was but a small pulse. 

The Force had warned him. 

But why?

Why did the Force want him to know that Vader would faint soon?

It's the planet, thought Luke, Vader said it was strong in the Force. It must be it.

None of these thing mattered then, because he had the Empire's second in command unconscious body near him. He could kill him: with the Emperor gone and Darth Vader dead the Empire would crumble. 

Luke stretched his fingers out, ignoring the tingling he felt of the Force calling out to him. 

He could kill him, it was all too easy: Vader was defenceless, and nobody would find his body here. Even if they did, it would be next to a crashed ship.

Luke had given up the traditional Jedi ways years ago after reading their Code. To him Darth Vader was just another Force-sensitive that chose to use the Force for evil. If he killed him, it would be for his position within the Empire and what he commanded, not because Vader was a Sith.

He could end the war. Any member of the Alliance would do the same, right? People would pay millions to do it.

The power was far too tempting. It was all too easy.

Right? If it was, then why was he hesitating? 

The Force was pulling him in two different directions and Luke wanted to scream. He took a deep breath and heard the thunder above him, not knowing if he was causing it anymore. The Force soothed him, even if he could only feel one percent of it since his walls were so high up. 

No, he would listen to the Force **—** it wanted Vader alive, for some reason.

“Can you hear me?” he asked.

There was no answer. Luke dragged Vader's unconscious body back inside, placed him on the floor and lifted his legs up a little bit. He wondered if the wave affected Vader more because he was so exposed to the Force while Luke had his shields up. “Alright. If you can hear me, you're inside the ship now. _Your_ ship. Your _crashed_ ship.” he said.

He saw Vader moving, just a bit. “Can you hear me, Lord Vader?” Luke lowered Vader's legs to the ground slowly. When he let go of them his bones ached again. “You fainted, I brought you back to the ship.” 

Vader sat with one hand behind his back for balance and looked around. Luke, cursed the mask for hiding his facial expressions, and he realised he didn’t even know if Vader was human, or if he needed the mask to breathe. Maybe it was part of his culture, like the Mandalorians he heard about. “Are you alright, sir?” 

Vader frowned inside the mask. He hadn’t heard that in decades. It angered him to no end. “Is the ship flyable?” he asked.

Luke heard many delusional ramblings from men hurt in battle, but this was strange. “No, sir. We crashed ten minutes ago, on Allanteen.”

“Have you touched anything?” he asked.

“No, I was too busy dragging you back inside," said Luke, annoyed, “When was the last time you slept properly, sir?”

Vader got up and took a deep breath. “It is none of your concern.”

“It normally wouldn't be, but you just fainted.”

He walked outside again, and Luke followed. “It is none of your concern, Commander.” he warned for the last time. He never repeated things twice. 

“Then it's the Force thing that knocked you out.” affirmed Luke.

Vader continued checking the damage to the ship quietly, ignoring his dizziness. “The Force thing,” he spat in imitation, “No.”

Luke crossed his arms. “Then you need to sleep, sir. I'm not going anywhere.”

“Commander, if you are foolish enough to order–”

He was. Luke stood up and crossed his arms. “With all due respect, see it like this: it's almost night and after we see that the ship is safe _I_ am going to sleep because tomorrow we need to repair and resume our flying to the Outer Rim," he said, imitating his Leia voice. "I will not tolerate any more faintings."

Vader stared at him. Was this child really ordering him to do something as mundane as sleep? He could sleep, but the nightmares had been consistent for over twenty years. They wouldn't stop now. He decided he would sleep as punishment.

“If you plan on escaping I suggest you don't. Allanteen is not safe and it is mostly an Imperial domain, though by our surroundings I think we are too far away to walk by foot to the nearest inhabited town. You would die,” explained Vader, ignoring Luke’s frown. “Do not touch anything, I will know.”

“Would that be all, sir?” asked Luke in annoyance. He couldn't believe the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet, a man well versed in combat, didn't care for basic body needs. When he was a child his aunt used to scold him for only having breakfast before playing outside all day, but he was a child. Darth Vader most certainly was not.

"You might not feel the Force, Commander, but I do. If you try anything I do not approve of, I will know.” said Vader. If only he knew that Luke could say the same thing to him. 

"Yes, Lord Vader." said Luke, far too exhausted to care. He went back inside the ship, and when he was out of sight Vader shook his head. The Commander's mix of wit, dry sarcasm and cockiness was far too similar to the man he once had been. 

That man was dead now, but who exactly was this boy?

And most importantly, how had he caught him so fast before he fell?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Why did Vader faint? He's a stressed middle aged man who refuses to sleep properly. Last month has been the second most stressful evil month of his life. He turned to the Dark Side when he was 23 years old and sleep deprived, so why should he change evil habits now, in his evil mid-late 40s? Please note the irony, and do get some sleep y'all. Darth Vader is not a role model in any AU.
> 
> 2) The Force, watching Anakin: fuck you fuck you fuck you! Here, I will burn your ship. I will make everyone think you're the Heir to the Empire. I will send your kid to you and you'll hate him. Faint now. Fuck you!!!!!! This one's for the younglings!!! 
> 
> also the Force, turning to Luke: not you, you're an angel and we're thrilled you're here<3
> 
> 3) Allanteen Six is not strong in the Force, but it looks cool. Here's a [picture](https://star-wars-extended-universe.fandom.com/wiki/Allanteen).


	3. The Enemy

  
**"to cease to exist and to die**   
**are two entirely different things,**   
**but you knew this already.**   
**didn't you?"**

**DAY NINETEEN — ALLANTEEN**

The night on Allanteen was lonely. The planet screamed silently with the Force, shaking the trees and making the animals dig holes in the ground to hide in them.

The Force didn't care about who lived or died, but it cared about a crashed ship in the East. Inside the ship were two pulsating hearts that with each beat called out into the Force. One presence was calm and steady, but only the Force could feel it. The presence had closed himself off, but the Force recognised it as a child of the universe. 

The Force wanted the other presence to leave the planet. It was tainted with darkness and turmoil, and not even the Force could access his inner feelings. This presence was stronger than the other and with each breath sent waves of cold into the world, but in its deepest core there was so much pain that even the Force winced. It was decades old, but the wounds never managed to close. He didn't want them to.

*** * ***

The dawn was interrupted by Darth Vader leaving the ship and stopping to touch the grass. He moved his boot around slowly. The grass felt like plastic. The gradient of the night mixed itself with the young sun rising at the horizon, and for the first time in years, Vader felt at ease. Each day he woke up from his meditation and only saw the bleak corridors of the star destroyers, so being on a planet that saw a sunrise every day made him feel out of place. 

He looked around and scanned the Force for any living creatures within walking distance but found none. Vader sat down at the end of the ramp and held dirt in his flesh hand, feeling its texture.

His senses were sharp and he was always ready for attack, but the entire planet was asleep. It was only the Force and him, as it always was.

He took his helmet off, allowing himself to smell cold morning air. He shivered. It's been so long.

He rubbed his eyes several times and a cold rush of wind made his hair float for a few seconds, and he cringed. Living under a mask for over twenty years made him forget what wind felt like on skin. He decided that he wouldn't blow up the planet.

He walked to inspect the ship, not noticing how his eyes went from blue to orange behind the mask.

Minutes later Luke appeared outside, and Vader didn't even bother looking at him. “The hyperspace is damaged but the engines are functional.” explained Vader.  
  
Luke wanted to ask if Vader had slept, but he knew it wouldn't be welcome. He looked at what Vader was working on. “This box isn't working because this system responds directly to the one at the top.” he said.

Vader frowned. “How do you know this? This is the only model that exists.” 

Luke crossed his arms. “I collect spare ship parts from battles. I recognise some pieces from a battle a few years ago.” said Luke, embarrassed, as he spoke of his hobby to the second richest man in the galaxy. 

Vader didn't comment on that. “The systems at the top are undamaged.”

“On the outside, perhaps. Can I inspect it?”

Vader nodded and watched Luke climb to the top and unscrew a panel, and then his head disappeared inside. “It is damaged but very briefly," he shouted, and then groaned, "There, fixed. Could you check?”

Vader resumed his position on the ground and after some seconds, the box was fixed. “It is operational.” he said loudly enough for Luke to hear.

Luke nodded and climbed back down, resuming his work on another part of the ship, and after thirty minutes Vader came to check in. 

Sensing what Vader was thinking, Luke spoke. “I want to get out of here too, Lord Vader,” he said, sounding very tired. “I wouldn't trust anyone with my ship either, but the sooner we finish the mission the better. I have noticed you have added some modifications, no doubt dangerous but…..precise. They're good.”

Vader clenched his jaw and crossed his arms. “Some imperial models are not built to their full capacity. It is a shame seeing so much potential wasted.”

“Some non-imperial models have much better designs, _and_ speed, than the Empire's," said Luke, careful to avoid the word Rebellion, “There are so many mechanics in the galaxy and most of them are useless when it comes to important things...”

“Do you build ships, Commander?” interrupted Vader.

“I do repairs.”

“You have not answered my question.”

Luke thought about it. “I do, but they're not flyable.”

“Commander, you seem to have done far more for the engineering of ships than the mechanics stationed on the Executor.”

Han would never believe this.

Luke nodded. "Yes, sir."

He had known Vader as the Emperor's right hand; a brilliant war strategist and pilot; as a Dark Lord of the Sith that had slaughtered thousands of innocents; as a monster to some. But now Luke only saw Darth Vader as someone who could have had a career in engineering if he wanted to. The man looked like he designed all the star destroyers himself. 

They spent the next four hours fixing the ship in silence. After Luke announced that his work was done, Vader inspected everything and Luke took that as an opportunity to rest and eat. Once Vader came back and didn't remark on Luke's job, Luke assumed that it was done well. 

Vader turned on the engines, but Luke felt that something was not right. Vader was concentrating on something, and it wasn't take off.

“Is there anything wrong, sir?” asked Luke. "We won't crash again."

Vader was silent. “Why do you not fear me, Commander?” he asked.

Luke blinked.

“I gain nothing from fear during this mission, especially if we're on truce. Fear clouds reasoning, and I need to think."

Vader ignored him and took off, taking one last look at the planet and promising that once the kidnappings were over he would like to come back, which would never happen given his schedule— but one morning more in that field without his helmet would be enough.

Once they entered hyperspace, Vader turned to face Luke, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor. “For how long have you been in the Rebellion?” 

Luke needed to protect his identity without making it seem like he was lying, because Vader would know. “Five years, sir.” he said. It was four.

Vader continued staring at him. “Why did you join?”

Luke clenched his jaw. “The Empire is a rotten, corrupt fascist state that supports slavery and massive genocide,” he said calmly with a shrug. “I have witnessed enough to see that something must be done against it.”

“That is all theory, Commander. I am asking what caused you personally to be against it.”

“I won't watch how innocent people are killed because the Emperor threw a tantrum.”

Vader wanted to say that his Master never lost his composure: out of both of them he was the most likely to throw tantrums. Sidious was more strategic in his murders. “The Empire took the life of someone you knew.”

Luke clenched his jaw. “A great deal of many people, sir. This is a war.” He would never reveal what the Empire did to his aunt and uncle, he wouldn't give Vader that pleasure. "No one cares about murders on Tatooine."

Vader stopped and stared at him. Luks had closed his eyes and was breathing slowly, as if he hadn't just dropped a bomb on Vader.

"Tatooine?"

Luke exhaled in annoyance. "Yes."

“You are from Tatooine." repeated Vader. 

"Yes?" asked Luke, frowning, opening his eyes.

Vader blinked. "I do not recall any significant genocides there.”

The fact that Vader thought genocides could be insignificant enraged Luke. He stood up. “Why would you care? I'm sure you have other work to do than pay attention to an enslaved planet.”

The Force beeped with danger. Wrong thing to say. “You do not know of what you speak.” warned Vader.

“I do. The Empire never listens to what the defenceless have to say, and if someone dares speak against it they slaughter them.”

“The Senate exists.” suggested Vader helplessly. 

“Does it? I recall it was fully under the command of the Emperor.” protested Luke. He wasn't having it.

“Enough!” shouted Vader, and the Force shook the cockpit. He didn't want to speak about the Empire, or Sidious, or politics! He had his own interests at hand. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before he brought the ship down. “You do not seem to be any older than twenty-five. I do not recall any genocides on Tatooine from twenty years ago.”

“Because there weren't any.” answered Luke.

Vader tilted his head. “So when did the Empire murder your family?”

Vader was smart, Luke thought, he was incredibly smart. This was what he was getting at. 

“Five years ago.” lied Luke.

Vader was surprised that the Commander didn't jump on the defensive. “I do not recall any murders on civilians.”

“The troopers must have lost count, then.” said Luke bravely, testing the waters.

Vader did not take it well. Before he exploded, Luke changed topic. “How long til Tatooine?”

“Eleven hours.”

Luke nodded, more comfortable now, or as comfortable as he could be around a man that wanted him dead. “So, Jabba will obviously recognise you, but I'm not so sure that if they are behind the kidnappings he will speak to you without conditions.”

“I will make him speak.”

“But not answer our questions,” answered Luke immediately, and then frowned. Curiosity got the better of him. “Can I ask you a question, sir? Have you ever tried to choke Jabba?”

Vader entertained the idea. “I might.” 

In all honesty, Luke wouldn't mind. “My plan was to introduce myself as Commander Starkiller from the Rebellion and demand the price they want for our General,” said Luke, “If they are behind the kidnapping, they will name the price and then I'll come up with something. If they aren’t, they will arrest me for outraging his Huttese majesty.”

“That is not a plan, Commander. It is reckless. Jabba is only motivated by credits," said Vader, deep in thought, and then added, “Is there any bounty on your head?”

Luke exploded within the walls but hid it immediately. His heart beat in his ears.

Vader felt goosebumps all over his skin and a distant shout within the Force. He concentrated on it, tilting his head a bit, trying to catch it, but it slipped through his fingers.

When Luke trusted his voice not to tremble, he spoke. “Not that I am aware of, no.” 

Vader squinted and touched Luke's mind, wanting to see if he was lying but found strong walls around it. He frowned and looked at the boy, who was acting like nothing had happened. “I assume you are acquainted with the pilot that destroyed the first death star. There is an impressive bounty on their head.”

Luke didn't blink. He knew Vader was trying to get into his mind, but he wouldn't react. Two could play that game. “I'm not answering any questions about the Alliance.”

Vader was still actively pressing on his walls, trying to find a crack. “We are on truce Commander, and I do not require names. My suggestion is bringing you to Jabba as the pilot in return for information. He will appreciate the credits.”

Luke hated this idea. “But wouldn't he ask for the credits immediately?”

“Five million credits are impossible to give physically. They are promised for later.”

Five million credits for his head. Suddenly Luke wanted to go back to Allanteen. “The Empire pays that much?” 

“The loss of the Death Star was colossal...” said Vader comically, and Luke frowned. 

“Your plan could be effective, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life under Jabba's palace.”

“We are on truce, Commander. I will retrieve you from prison.” explained Vader, and Luke could have sworn there was humor in the last sentence. 

“Why should I trust you?” asked Luke.

“Who's left?” said Vader. He didn't have time for such pointless things as trust.

“Fine.” said Luke, walking away. He needed to be alone.

Vader sensed the Commander’s discomfort through the Force, even if the Commander had shields. “Commander.”

Luke turned around.

“Who taught you to shield?” he asked.

Luke froze. 

“I don't know who you take me to be, Lord Vader.” said Luke politely with a small smile.

He wasn't denying it either. “If there are any Jedi sympathisers in the Rebellion, I will find them.” 

Luke walked away, keeping his heartbeat in check. Vader seemed to hate the Jedi more than rebels, and Luke was both. So much for a diplomatic talk with a Sith.

* * *

The hyperspace stopped at the given coordinates and Luke appeared in the cockpit, walking to stand behind Vader's seat. 

Tatooine, alive and unwelcoming, glared at the intruders.

Home.

Vader gripped the controls harder. His knuckles went white under the gloves, and the Force laughed at him.

“The North Sector, sir.” pointed Luke. Vader started his descent towards the planet, checking the coordinates to find the Dune Sea. Luke was careful to keep his shields in check, especially after his incident with Vader.

“We shouldn't land too close. Their scanners reach far for activity, you can't get any closer without them detecting us.” said Luke, but Vader was already landing. "Do you have any spare cloaks, sir? The weather here is unpredictable.”

Vader gave him a spare black hooded cloak and Luke shivered when he saw Vader’s lightsaber attached to his belt. “Is the saber necessary? I thought this would be a pacific mission.” said Luke, hiding his fear with sarcasm. 

“There is no pacifism when dealing with the Hutts.” spat Vader, and Luke mentally agreed. 

The ramp opened and they were hit with a wave of warm air. Vader couldn't feel it as he was covered from head to toe but his mask picked up the salty taste of Tatooine's air and he cringed. His presence in the Force was a nuclear storm and he prayed that the Commander wouldn't speak or he would snap.

The ramp closed and Luke wondered whether it was safe to leave the ship in the open as Jawas roamed through the Dune Sea. Vader answered his question without Luke having to ask. “It has a protective mechanism against exterior attacks. The Jawas are the second most disgraced creatures on this planet.” said Vader, and Luke wanted to ask for the first, but understood that it was neither the time nor the place to do so. 

They reached the gates and Luke approached the gatekeeper droid of the wall. “What do you want?” it said in Huttese, and Luke stepped in to answer.

“To see Jabba.” said Luke in Huttese, and Vader just stared curiously. Not all Tatooine locals spoke Huttese.

“Who are you?” 

Luke opened his mouth to speak but Vader stepped in. “Darth Vader. I have an offering Jabba will not refuse.” he said, speaking perfect local Huttese and Luke's jaw dropped. 

He wanted to laugh. “You speak Huttese?!” he whispered, not believing his ears. 

“It is not the time to ask questions.” answered Vader and Luke nodded, still frowning. 

Vader took him by the upper arm with inhuman strength and Luke flinched. The Force pulsed in recognition but they ignored it. As he was about to get away from Vader’s grip, as any sane person would, he remembered their plan. “Do not speak a word and keep the hood on.” threatened Vader, voice low. 

After a few minutes of stairs and near blind-folded walking with only Vader's grip guiding him, the sound of annoying music reached them. Luke tensed as Vader guided him, more aggressively this time, to the throne room.

The music stopped as soon as Darth Vader came in. Luke could get used to this.

“Jabba the Hutt," spat Vader. His speech was slower than usual, thought Luke, and his voice was much deeper. That was Darth Vader speaking, not the man he had repaired a ship with. “I come with an offer.” 

Jabba’s eyes opened wide as he looked at Darth Vader, not acknowledging Luke in the slightest. Bib Fortuna stared at them, confused. “Lord Vader, I do not have any current business with the Empire!”

Vader's jaw clenched. “Are you familiar with the bounty placed on the rebel that destroyed the death star?”

“Ah yes! Five million credits...” said Jabba, and Luke shivered. It felt too real.

Vader felt his discomfort and wondered how close Luke was to the real pilot, even if Vader could care less about either of them. 

“I come with a bargain," he said, “My sources have identified this man to be the pilot.”

Jabba's eyes widened as he took in Luke's form. “Oh, is he?”

“I will give him to you in request for information.” said Vader, gripping Luke's arm tighter. There was noise in the room and Vader restricted the creatures' necks for two seconds as a warning. Dead cold silence filled the room, and the Force pulsed in impatience, completely in Vader's mercy.

Jabba liked him. Vader had power, and Jabba loved power as long as Vader didn't threaten him. “What information?” 

“The rebelsare missing their leader. I am willing to pay to know their location.” 

Jabba moved to listen to Bib Fortuna. “No! No! In any circumstances, no!” he whispered back at Fortuna, “Five million credits! You heard him. No! I won't. Do it yourself, fool.”

Darth Vader sighed and loosened his grip on Luke's arm for a few seconds. “I do not have all day.”

“Neither do I Lord Vader,” said Jabba, turning back to face him. “I may have heard about it.”

“From whom?” asked Vader.

Jabba moved from one side to another, excited. “Oh, I will need the pilot first.”

Luke took a deep breath and Vader pushed him to stand in front of Jabba. His hood fell off and he found himself staring at Jabba, praying no one would recognise his real identity. 

“Take him to the nearest Empire post tomorrow and you will be rewarded.” said Darth Vader. Fortuna waved a hand and Luke was taken away by two guards. He looked at Vader with fake determination and Vader followed his gaze before he disappeared out of sight.

The Force felt odd, and Vader couldn't keep his eyes off Luke as he was being dragged away.

“I didn't order her kidnapping.” said Jabba. 

Vader paid attention to Jabba now that Luke was out of sight. “I received a transmission from your servant.” 

“My servant?!” asked Jabba, scandalized. “My servants never send transmissions. You are wrong.”

Vader’s blood boiled. “I am not.”

Bib Fortuna took a step back and whispered something fast and unintelligible in the Hutt's ear and Jabba looked at Vader. “He hasn't left my side in years! It wasn't him.”

Vader used the Force to choke him and walked closer. The room's temperature dropped several degrees and the creatures were murmuring again. “Then who was it?”

“Someone else! Not me!” wheezed Jabba, panicking.

“What about the kidnapping of an imperial authority?” asked Vader.

“What is with you and kidnappings today?! I don't know anything about imperial kidnappings!”

“You are behind most galactical crime.” spat Vader, unable to contain his hatred.

“Most galactical crime! But not all!” whispered Jabba, tongue out. 

Darth Vader let his wrist rest for a few seconds, giving Jabba some time to breathe, clearly non-accustomed to such treatings from Vader. “Who told you about the rebel disappearance?” he asked.

“I have...contacts inside the Rebellion,” confessed Jabba, and Vader's eyebrows shot up inside the mask. “One of them contacted me and told me the job was done. What job? I didn't know. I had more important things to do. I didn't ask.” said Jabba.

Vader had always thought the Hutts were stupid, but now he thought Jabba was the prime example of stupidity. Even though he understood that on the grand scheme of things the Rebellion didn't matter.

“Names.” 

“Oh! I don't know.” said Jabba, and Vader sensed the lie through the Force. 

He choked him again, a bit harder this time. “Names.” he demanded, tone darker, shaking with impatience and hatred at this planet and Jabba. He was starting to reconsider planetary destruction.

“I don't know! A woman...It was a woman!” 

He stormed out of the palace, radiating explosive dark energy in the Force, and two levels below, Luke smirked.

*** * ***

Tatooine never slept, but it had nights, and Vader calculated the Commander must have been in the palace for over six hours. He changed his black clothing and cape for normal imperial attire and took a speeder to the palace.

He left the helmet on one side of the gate, and he knew that the palace at night was dimly lit, so the Commander would have no way of seeing his face. His mask made him Darth Vader, so if they were caught things wouldn't reach a galactic scandal. Darth Vader rescuing a rebel from Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine— his Master would never let this slide.

Vader scanned the palace for any awake minds, and only saw three figures. He opened the gate with the Force and sneaked through the palace, avoiding the throne room, to reach the cells. With a flick of his wrist the guards were on the floor. 

Luke awoke from his meditation trance. "In here."

Vader heard the voice from the furthest cell of the corridor and walked there. It was near full darkness, with only one dull moving light above them. Luke froze when he saw Vader's shadow stand at the door, his usual square-shaped head gone. The door to the cell snapped open and Luke walked out, and Vader took a step back.

“Has anyone seen you?” asked Luke, voice all but a thin whisper.

Vader didn't answer. He felt deeply uncomfortable speaking without his voice modifier.

Luke had an idea. He took his hooded cloak off and handed it to Vader through the dark. 

Vader frowned, but took it anyway. “What for?” he whispered.

Luke froze. It was the first time he heard Vader speak without the mask, and he wanted to rip his ears off and forget it, just in case Vader thought it was a criminal offense to hear him. “You don't want to be seen, do you?”

The light above them moved and shone briefly on Vader's nose, and Luke shivered.

Darth Vader was human, as crazy as that sounded.

Luke wasn't sure if that disturbed or calmed him. 

Vader turned on his heels and he followed. They walked back through odd rooms and passages which Luke didn't know how Vader knew about. Jabba's palace was the horror house for Tatooine children, and Luke felt like he was living in a nightmare. 

They reached the main gate and Luke saw Vader’s helmet on the ground and handed it to him respectfully. Vader put it on, still avoiding moving his head too much in case the hood fell off.

Luke certainly felt much better knowing that Darth Vader wouldn't murder him if his hood accidentally came off.

Vader used the Force to open the gate, and Luke was so busy trying not to freak out that neither of them noticed a figure at the back of the area.

The figure stood still for a moment, looking at their backs. A hand was placed on a blaster, and just as the gate had fully opened, the figure spoke out loud, their voice echoing loudly across the tall ceiling. 

“Skywalker."

Both Vader and Luke turned around on instinct. 


	4. The Revival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: blood, injury, medical discussions.

“Skywalker.”

Both Vader and Luke turned around on instinct and Luke froze. He had been recognised. Tatooine remembered him.

Meanwhile, Vader was cursing himself for having taken his helmet off. He couldn't recognise his past self in the mirror, so he didn't know how anyone could recognise Anakin Skywalker, albeit an older, more tired version of him, in near darkness, twenty years after presumed dead. Vader hoped the Commander hadn't seen any holo clips from the Clone Wars or of any Jedi.

But a thought intruded his mind: why had the Commander turned around the same time as he did? Surely his senses must have been acute for a pilot but they were too fast. 

Distracted by their thoughts, neither of them noticed how the person raised their blaster and shot directly at Luke, who without giving it much thought, stopped the blast with the Force. His hand was shaking as he was out of practice, but he managed to stop the blast mid-air.

Vader stopped paying attention to the figure and turned to look at Luke, and then at the shaky blast. He was concentrating hard, and Vader felt how his energy was slowly draining. 

Without thinking, Vader lifted his own hand and redirected the blaster outside, and Luke took a step back in inhuman speed.

Vader felt the Force pulse around the boy, and he was outraged as well as impressed. The Commander stared at him in terror. He was Force-sensitive, and trained.

Vader wanted to speak but another blast hit him on the right shoulder above the bicep.

Luke pushed the attacker with the Force and ran to Vader.

“The speeder. We need to leave, now.” grumbled Vader. 

Luke turned around and saw a speeder near the gate and jogged to it. Sensing that Vader, whose gait could challenge hyperspace speed, was still behind, Luke turned around and saw him limping, hand pressed on his right shoulder.

Luke sprinted and put an arm around his waist and shoulder to help him. He sat on the speeder, with Vader holding his waist without much energy, and turned on the engine. Luke could sense the man sprinting behind them but giving up once Luke drove away. 

Once inside the ship, Luke put Vader on the floor. He kneeled in front of him, studying his body. Vader was still adding pressure to his wound, and Luke could see that his head was moving around. 

“Lord Vader? Can you hear me?” asked Luke, “Where do you keep emergency medical supplies?”

Vader wasn't answering and Luke panicked. His Force presence was getting dangerously weak.

Luke stood up with a groan and remembered that room Vader went to. He snapped the security mechanism open with the Force, entering a dark room with something resembling an individual bed on the furthest point and some built-in closets. 

He opened and inside some of the shelfs he found one lonely medical box that was unused. Luke took it and sprinted back to Vader, who was already lying on the floor, the only sign of life being his breathing. 

Luke dragged him upwards so he was leaning against the wall and took a bandage from the box. He saw a very soaked spot in Vader's shoulder and pressed on it, igniting a groan from him. His hand was covered in a lot of blood and Luke panicked. He wrapped the bandage tightly around his shoulder and used Vader's cloak as a blanket. The man was shaking.

“Can you breathe without the mask?” he asked.

“Why, are you a medic?” whispered Vader. Luke couldn't believe it. The man was probably about to pass out from blood loss and he was being sarcastic.

“Answer the question.” said Luke impatiently. 

“Yes.”

Luke nodded. “I need to see the color of your skin. You have lost too much blood, you could go into shock.” said Luke. Vader just nodded and Luke extended his hands to see how the mask was removed. He went for the easiest way and took it off. They were running out of time. 

A human face stared right back at him through lidded eyes.

Luke hadn't given Vader’s appearance much thought before. He thought Vader must have been twice his age since he had a high rank in the Empire— but the man looked too young. He had dirty wavy blonde hair that was covered in sweat and sticking to his forehead, grey-blue eyes and dark purple eyebags. He also had high cheekbones and Luke didn't know if it was malnutrition or genetics. Overall the man looked young and even innocent.

People thought that he was a droid under the mask, or some sort of alien, and the minority that thought he was human thought he was very old. Luke recalled that the Sith had orange eyes also. Nothing about the man made sense.

He looked at his skin and saw that he was three shades paler than Luke himself, and his lips were light purple and blue. Luke took Vader's hand and took the black glove off, revealing a shaking calloused hand and blue fingernails.

“You're going into shock!” exclaimed Luke.

Vader did something similar to a shrug. “Not first time.” What the hell was wrong with that man?

Luke closed his eyes and took a deep breath, lowering his shields and feeling the Force splash him. It felt like jumping into a frozen pool, breaking all the ice and feeling fire on his skin.

Vader sensed it too, and if he wasn't half-unconscious he would be curious as to why a presence with the strength of a sun was next to him. It comforted him, as the Force always did, but this time something was off.

It was a presence he had never felt before.

Luke placed a hand on Vader's wound and pushed the Force through him and into Vader. He was feeling weak and lightheaded but nothing too extreme: he had given emergency blood transmissions before, but not through the Force.

This was exhausting him. He felt like he was sucking the life out of himself, leaving only an empty void where the Force should be. He continued the procedure until he opened his eyes and saw Vader frowning and his breathing more steady, but still very pale.

Vader was confused: his injury didn't sting anymore; it was far from cured, but the bleeding had stopped. He was starting to regain clarity. This was his ship, and next to him was Commander Star-something, healing him. 

Wait, what?

Luke continued the procedure to the point of reducing himself into unconsciousness, feeling his life drain out of him and then felt the world darken. 

When Luke's mind disconnected, the Force screamed at both of them. It could be heard across the galaxy.

The last thing he felt was Vader's presence reaching out to him with a helping hand, even if Vader himself was unconscious. Their presences in the Force clung to each other naturally.

They both fell to the floor, Luke's head on Vader's knees and Vader slumped awkwardly on the floor. Their eyelids closed and they felt darkness swallowing them both.

The Force sobbed.

* * *

Tatooine was getting tired. Newcomers weren't welcome, and they couldn't stay for longer than three days. 

There was a ship that had been there for far too long. If Tatooine could, it would send them back to hyperspace and out of its grounds. 

The Jawas tried entering the ship, but were hit with electricity. The Tuskens also tried. 

Nothing worked. 

Whoever that ship belonged to, Tatooine knew they were familiar with its sands and winds, and it intrigued the planet. Tatooine decided to let them stay, but it observed every movement and breath of theirs and tried sending winds to wake the presences up, but nothing worked.

The Force pulsated around them dangerously, crying in fear and joy and in pain. There was so much pain; an atomic collision inside a small space. The presences resisted the pushes unconsciously, mixing their energies to create a defence shield.

The Force could do nothing against that, except activating and deactivating itself to shatter their connections to the Force. Their hearts skipped some beats and adrenaline shot through their veins, but nothing happened.

They were actively battling against the Force. The Force had tortured one of the presences for decades and it didn't resist. However, it couldn't attack now because there was another presence, equally strong, wrapped protectively around it. 

This presence resisted the attacks and didn't even blink, but was less susceptible to physical reactions. The presence was still alive in the Force, but physically...it was dying.

The Force didn't let its children die. They had to wake up.

*** * ***

Vader regained consciousness with a startle. His body shook when adrenaline flooded his veins. He felt like he was being attacked from all sides, but his eyes didn't see any enemies.

His bones ached weirdly. He had a pounding headache and his muscles were stiff from laying on the floor.

Wait, why was he on the floor?

He felt a weight on his knees and saw a blond boy lying unconscious with his head on Vader's knee. Vader flinched at the human contact. He didn't sense any danger from the boy, so he let him be.

He frowned and looked around. He had his cloak on as a blanket and from the cockpit could see brown mountains. He could recognise them anywhere.

Tatooine.

He couldn't remember why he was on Tatooine. Something inside him remembered his promise not to return here, so why was he here? Remembering felt like swimming through mud and being bitten by several creatures simultaneously. It was impossible to concentrate.

His Master was missing, the Alliance accepted his deal. A blond boy said to go to Tatooine to find Jabba...then he saw red. 

Had he got injured, somehow?

He looked around his body and saw a bandage wrapped around his right bicep. It was poorly done, clearly in a hurry, but it was tight. The bandage was leaking red, but at touch was dry. 

He never lost a battle, let alone get injured. Vader reached the conclusion that he was very distracted if he got injured. 

He still saw red, but now he heard voices. 

_Skywalker_ , said the Force.

He winced. Someone had recognised him on Tatooine before he got hit by the second blast...because the first one stopped mid-air. The blond boy stopped the blast mid-air and then drove them here. The rest was a blur.

Wait, what? Mid-air?

The Force laughed at him.

Vader looked at the boy on his knee, breathing slowly. His skin was very pale and his blond bangs covered his eyes.

Vader didn't have to concentrate to feel another presence in the Force, as he was staring directly at it. He frowned and tried entering the Commander's mind, but it was shielded. Even when he was unconscious!

Vader remembered all the questions the Commander had asked about the Force. Either he was incredibly stupid, which he wasn't or he wouldn't have lasted with Vader so long, unaware of his force-sensitivity or he was just playing with him.

Either way, the Commander wasn't a Sith and it was yet to know if he was a Jedi. The Commander's presence in the Force wasn't light nor dark, and Vader was confused even more because he still didn't understand why they were on the floor.

Nobody ever deliberately slept near him, except when he was married–

No.

He couldn't help it. He nearly died. His mind always came back to her in near-death experiences, and he felt her presence even more now. 

Vader lifted the boy's head from his thigh and the Force electrocuted him. It was screaming at him, and Vader's heart accelerated. Something was wrong.

He extended himself into the Force to ask what he needed to do, but the Force only pushed him into Luke's direction.

Vader touched his front and saw that his life presence was a small shadow.

He was dying.

He took a deep breath and concentrated on passing his own energy into him, and ignored his own dizziness. The Force welcomed it, scenting the air with familiarity. 

Luke's presence shifted curiously and touched Vader's, as a way of saying _Hello_. His eyebrows moved slightly and Vader knew he was trying to wake up, but his body was too weak. 

Upon checking his vitals, Vader placed his flesh hand on Luke's front again, moving the bangs to one side, and this time it didn't burn him. The Force was encouraging the act, even smiling at him, but all Vader did was order Luke to sleep and moved his hand away.

The Force almost bit his finger off.

He lifted Luke's head from his knee, took off his cloak and put it under Luke's head. He saw his mask lying on the floor next to the Commander and put it on. The Commander must have taken it off. Why?

Vader walked to the cockpit, avoiding looking at the mountains and contacted the Executor. “Admiral, prepare a medbay and send the coordinates of your location. I will be there shortly.”

A very tired Admiral Piett sighed. “It will be done, Lord Vader. Are you...injured?”

Vader thought about it. His shoulder stung but he was alive, even though he knew he needed a checkup after nearly dying a few hours ago, or days. He didn't know how long they had been unconscious or how he had survived. “I am not, but prepare the medbay and wait for my arrival.”

“Very well, my Lord.” said Piett, and Vader deactivated the channel. He received the coordinates and was glad they weren't that far away. He took off immediately without giving the planet below him much thought, because he was afraid of what would happen if he did.

Memories were painful, and his Master always encouraged him to dwell on them to become stronger in the dark side, but since Sidious had disappeared Vader only felt stronger, and he hadn't dwelled in any memories to increase his connection to the dark side.

He had always suspected Sidious was using him.

The blue of hyperspace surrounded him, and he took his mask off and rubbed his eyes. His head stung and he was far from healthy, but he knew that judging by the amount of blood in his bandage that he had been badly injured. 

That the Commander had passed out next to him was also a mystery, but if Vader had to guess, the Commander was the only one that could have saved him.

He had saved his life.

Why?

He turned around to look at him. His slumped body lay on the floor awkwardly, and for a moment Vader thought he was dead. If it wasn't for the Force calling out to him to save him, he wouldn't have known the Commander was dying.

Why was he dying? What had he done?

Vader sighed and stood up to inspect the boy. He was disturbed at his relaxed features: Ben Starkiller, smart as he was, was still a child. He placed a hand on Luke's neck and found a weak pulse, so he picked him up and carried him to a spare room. The door was open and the closets looked raided, but he didn't comment on that. He placed Luke on a bed, and left him there. He didn't want to be there when Luke woke up. 

The Commander had lied to him about his Force-sensitivity. If he survived, Vader would have to kill him. He had seen him without his mask, had heard someone calling him Skywalker, and was also Force-sensitive.

He had to die.

But he had saved him, hadn't he? Had the Force also warned him about an upcoming death? 

Vader screamed at the Force for the next two hours until he arrived to the Executor. He landed in his personal hangar and picked Luke up.

Piett approached him in a hurry. “My Lord,” he said, not acknowledging the boy unless asked to. He valued his life. “Your medbay is ready sir. The droids are in as you requested.”

“It is not for me, Admiral.”

Piett blinked. “Of course, my Lord.” He didn't want to ask. The boy in Vader's arms looked dead enough as it was.

*** * ***

Luke awoke thirty-six hours later with all sorts of tubes injected into him. The Force was the first thing he felt when consciousness came back to him. It flooded his soul like warm water. 

“You are finally awake, sir.”

Luke opened his eyes and saw a small man sitting on a chair near the door, dressed in imperial clothes. Luke tensed on instinct. “You have lost a lot of blood, yet you sustain no physical injury.” he read out loud as per directions.

Luke stared at him, and the man realized.

“Oh, my apologies, sir. I am Admiral Piett of the Executor, in charge of overlooking your recovery,” said Piett. Luke thought an imperial Admiral had better things to do. He closed his eyes in defeat when he realized where he was.

“Lord Vader has informed me of the developments in your...investigation. He said his inquiries on Tatooine proved fruitful, sir.” said Piett as politely as he could. This boy was an important imperial figure to Lord Vader, he couldn't mess this up, “The medical droids said you could be dispatched as soon as you awoke. If you don't have any complications, of course.”

Luke tried asking what happened to him, but his voice was rough and ached from dehydration. He scanned the room for water and found a glass next to his bed. He was too weak to move his muscles yet, so he used the Force to bring the glass closer to him.

Piett stared. 

And stared.

Darth Vader had to bring another wizard on board. Piett didn't know what he expected, but he didn't know imperials used the magic. He thought Vader was the only one.

“What've they done?” asked Luke, his voice rough. 

Piett looked at the datapad, reading Luke's file. “Blood transfer mostly, among other things. The meddroids ordered you to rest. I will give you the report once you have fully recovered, sir.”

Piett wanted to ask how had he lost so much blood without a single scratch on his body, but if the boy reported this to Vader, Piett would be dead.

Luke sniffled, his nostrils clogged from the artificial air. He wasn't sure what to answer to first. “No no, it's not me that got injured.” 

Piett stopped. He hadn't asked the last question out loud. Was the boy reading his thoughts? “I'm sorry sir, how do you–“

“Where's Vader? Is he alive? I need to speak to him.” said Luke, leaning his head back on the pillow. He hoped the man was at least conscious. Enemy or not, he had saved his life, judging by the fact that someone had transported him to the medbay.

Piett stared. No imperial person regardless of rank addressed Vader without his title. This boy should be dead. Why wasn't he?

“Shall I call for him, sir?”

He was alive. Luke shouldn't feel so much relief. “Is he awake?”

“I believe so.”

“Then call for him.” ordered Luke and Piett left the room. 

Luke stretched his muscles out and awoke the medical droids with the Force to ask what they did to him. For all he knew, he was still a rebel captured on the Executor. A droid hit the edge of his bed with a loud noise. It stared at Luke. “Greetings, Patient.”

Luke frowned. He expected imperial droids to be more aggressive. This one was short and had big glowing eyes. “Yes, hello. What have you done to me?”

The droid stared at him. “Blood transfer. You lost a lot of blood. You were not breathing.”

Luke paled. He didn't think it was that bad when he passed out on Tatooine. “Where are we?”

”Lord Vader's private medbay. You lost a lot of blood.”

Luke frowned. “He brought me here?”

”He did. You had breathing complications. The blood transfusions had to be done quickly. You lost a lot of blood.”

”You said that already.”

The droid extended an arm and touched the pulse in his neck. “You lost a lot of blood. No physical injury. It is not in the protocol.”

Right. Imperial medroids protocols didn't account for the Force. 

The droid continued. “The amount of blood needed was not in the emergency blood banks. You were approaching a fast death.”

Luke blinked. Then how–

_Oh._

“Um, did–“

The droid's eyes shone. “Lord Vader donated his blood to you. The blood compatibility was a surprise. I gave you up for dead.”

Luke didn't want to believe what he was hearing. It had to be a lie. Darth Vader didn't save rebels, let alone give his _blood_ to one. He was probably delirious after Tatooine. 

“Thank you.” said Luke, moving to disconnect the droid, but it rolled backwards. 

“This sentence is not in the programming. Requesting a definition.”

Luke stared. Of course it wasn't. “You can go back to charging. Your job is done here and I am satisfied with your work.” he explained, and the droid rolled backwards towards its power source and deactivated. 

Thirty minutes later, the Force shifted around him. His bones started to ache, and he sighed. Luke was afraid of how used he was to the feeling. Darth Vader didn't enter the room but stood at the entrance, still as a statue, hands behind his back. 

The Force flooded the room and their presences crashed against each other like two ships dropping out of hyperspace simultaneously. 

Luke stared at him, holding his gaze steady. “Glad to see you alive, sir.” 

He prayed that Vader wouldn't mention what happened before the attack. Maybe he didn't remember. Either way, the name Skywalker had to be forgotten. 

Vader stared at him. His presence in the Force collided against Luke's shields. “You are a Jedi.”

Vader's voice was deep and angry, and Luke flinched. His heartbeat skyrocketed when Vader moved and stood at the end of the bed. Anyone else in this scenario would go into cardiac arrest from fear, but Luke didn't back down. “I'm not a Jedi.”

Vader placed his hands at the bed frame and looked at the floor, frustrated and tired. Since he arrived all he did was attend meetings and fix what Piett couldn't. He probably needed the medical rest as much as Luke.

He didn't want to interrogate him now simply because he was tired.

“Lying is useless. I have seen the security footage from my ship. Blood transfers through the Force are impossible to do without training. You are a Jedi, a rebel and therefore a traitor to the Empire.”

“Yet there I was.”

Vader looked up. “Who is your Master?”

“I've never had one for long enough to be consider myself an apprentice, sir.”

Vader repeated. “Lying is useless.”

“I'm not a Jedi. Not all force-sensitives are Jedi, and you are the perfect example.”

He felt Vader's intentions clearer than ever now: he was tempted to kill him. Luke was defenceless and still recovering from medical procedures. He could fight, but he doubted he would last a minute against Vader.

“Yet you are no Sith. Your presence is light, now that I _can_ sense you.”

Luke let out a humourless laugh, keeping his shields up. “I'm not a Sith. I'm just trained in the Force, that's all.”

“The Alliance was built on the remains of the Jedi Order,” said Vader. “You are a Jedi.”

“No, it wasn't. The Alliance is political, the Jedi Order wasn't, but I believe you know about that more than I do.” said Luke, voice sharp.

Vader was repressing all memories desperately. Luke sensed something was wrong, and closed his eyes, extending himself to feel Vader's emotions. 

Vader flinched and pushed Luke's mind away. “You do not know of what you speak.”

Luke's eyes were still closed. “But you do, don't you? You were there, during the wars.” 

“The Jedi were corrupt. They were planning to take over the Republic.”

Luke snorted calmly. “How have you reached that conclusion?”

“They tried to assassinate the Emperor.”

Luke sighed. “Perhaps because they discovered he was a Sith Lord?”

“He was Chancellor of the Republic they swore to defend.”

“I'm sure you can understand their need to have the Sith eradicated.”

Vader looked at him. “My faith lies with the Emperor.” He didn't miss how this promise sounded like a plea. Perhaps if someone else believed that, he would start to believe it himself.

“If that's what you want.”

Vader stared at him. The Commander had no right to be so relaxed around him. No one did. Even his Master kept him at arms length. It was for everyone's safety, yet the Commander didn't seem to care.

He saved his life. This insignificant boy showed more care for him than anyone had in two decades, even if that care was superficial. The Commander clearly had morals, even if he disliked Vader with a passion. 

Perhaps Vader wouldn't kill him, after all. He then remembered the reason he was there in the first place. “Jabba is not behind any of the kidnappings.”

Luke opened his eyes, frowning. “And Bib Fortuna?”

Vader crossed his arms. “Neither, but your Rebellion has a mole.”

“What?” whispered Luke. 

“Jabba has contacts within the Rebellion, and one of them, a woman, informed him that the job was done. Jabba didn't know what job she was referring to, so he didn't inquire.”

Luke clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. He suddenly aged ten years. “So, what's the plan now? I won't interrogate every single woman in the Alliance.”

“The plan is to find the mole and ask who she is working for. Is the Rebel base still on Imperial Centre?” asked Vader.

“I don't know. I've been incomnunicated!” protested Luke, and Vader remembered. He still had his commlink. 

“You will have it back. We leave in two hours. Admiral Piett will escort you to the ship.” he said, heading to the door.

“Very well, and Lord Vader?” asked Luke, and Vader stopped but didn't turn around.

He was beyond stressed. If the Commander asked why the man on Tatooine screamed Skywalker at them, he would have to kill him right away. He placed his hand on his lightsaber, out of Luke's sight, and waited.

The elephant in the room was screaming at them both.

“I've never done any blood transfers through the Force. I'm surprised that our blood types were compatible at all.” said Luke.

Vader didn't move. He was ready to kill any moment now. “We both could have died, it was reckless of you.” he said automatically, back to Luke.

Luke smiled. “And on Tatooine! Of all places!” he said theatrically, “But uh, thank you for– you know. I spoke to the droids.” 

Vader stopped and considered his options. The Commander probably didn't remember what happened before the accident, and he would keep it that way. If he ever brought it up, Vader would kill him.

“We leave in two hours.”

He walked away fast, feeling the Force break like a string he hadn't realised had been forming between them. Luke exhaled loudly once he was alone. He had survived, and in his current circumstances, that was more than enough.

*** * ***

After an hour, Piett entered the room, holding a commlink. “Lord Vader requested to have this given to you.”

Luke was busy eating, so he wiped his mouth with a cloth and stood up to get it. “Thank you, Admiral.” he said automatically, and Piett flinched at how similar he sounded to Vader. 

Luke sat down and wanted to continue eating, but he felt Piett's turmoil in the Force. Sometimes being Force-sensitive was maddening.

“Is there anything in your mind, Admiral?” he asked. Piett noted that his voice sounded even more authoritative now. 

“Nothing, sir. Just that Lord Vader's treatment of you is rare.” he confessed. To his knowledge, only Vader had access to his personal medbay. Piett had worked in the Executor for years and had never been here before.

Luke smiled. “I'm not taking it for granted, trust me.” he said relaxed, looking young again. He hoped Piett would calm down now because his anxiety was like needles on Luke's skin. “You must be living under stress all the time.”

Piett dismissed him. He wouldn't complain about his job to the boy that made Vader not kill anyone today, whether he knew it or not. “It's part of the job, sir. This flagship is crucial to the Empire.”

Luke nodded and let a sympathetic smile. 

“May I ask something, sir?” asked Piett. 

Luke smiled conspiracionally. “What?” he whispered and put food in his mouth.

“How do you know what someone else is thinking?” asked Piett, praying he didn't sound too cryptic.

Luke laughed softly. “I don't know the exact thoughts but I can feel the emotions behind them. Are you familiar with the Force?” asked Luke.

“Lord Vader talks about it sometimes. Most of his actions are based on the will of the Force, though I confess I don't know what that is.”

Luke laughed and the Admiral stood like a statue, not used to someone laughing on the Executor. 

“Of course he would say that...” he then burst out laughing and Piett was very tense. “I'm sorry, it's just...The Force can be felt by some people, and if they're trained they can sense things.”

“Lord Vader senses things others don't?”

“Precisely, and so do I.”

Piett frowned. “If it's not too much to ask, are you two related anyhow?”

Luke stared.

He felt like he was being punched in the stomach. “Force help me, No! Can you imagine?"

Piett shook his head, still very much in the dark. “Thank you for your time, sir. I will leave now, if that is good to you.”

Luke frowned at the formality. He still didn't know what Piett knew about him, since he clearly wouldn't act this way if he knew Luke was a rebel. “It's nothing. People who work under a Sith Lord should be aware of what they can do.”

“A Sith Lord, sir?” asked Piett.

Two, actually.

“Yes, they're people who can feel the Force but choose to use its darkest side. They're fueled by anger. It's not really pleasant, as you are aware.”

Piett thought that it made perfect sense, and then remembered that Luke could read his thoughts, so he became defensive.

Luke smiled. “Keep your shields up, Admiral. They might save you.”

Piett wanted to leave, he's had a lifetime of Vader's shenanigans and didn't want to have more with the strange boy, even if he had treated him with more kindness than anyone on board. He nodded politely and left the room.

Luke then scanned the room for listening devices and found none. He took his commlink and dialled Bail. “General Organa, this is Commander Starkiller, do you copy?”

The link buzzed with static. “Lu- are you alright?”

Luke exhaled. “Yes, are you safe?”

“We're still on lockdown. Leia and Han are worried about you. Where are you?”

Luke brushed his hair back. “Uh, the Executor?”

“Are you alright?!” asked Bail, panicking.

“I had some medical complications and we had to pause our investigation, but we're leaving soon.” said Luke, not wanting to say that he had saved Vader's life. It wouldn't go well with the Alliance or even with the people on board.

“Has he hurt you?” asked Bail.

“No, we're on truce. He couldn't hurt me even if he wanted.” said Luke. 

“His reputation says otherwise. Be careful.”

“I am. Are you still on Coruscant? We need to find someone but I don't think it's safe to discuss this now. We will be in the base soon.” 

“Yes, the South base. But, we? As in, Darth Vader and you?” asked Bail incredulously. 

Luke sighed impatiently. He was so tired of hearing his name everywhere. “Yes. Can you make sure that everyone is busy? I'm sure if they see Vader they'll just shoot at him.”

He couldn't believe he just said that. A week ago he would have shot him too.

Bail was silent. “How do you know he's not planning to attack the base?”

“We're on truce, and the Emperor's missing. He needs this mission to succeed as much as we do. If he tries anything, I will know.”

Luke couldn't see Bail but he knew the man was nodding. He told him to take care of himself and they said their goodbyes. 

Silence filled the room, and Luke had never felt more alone. He tapped his boots on the floor to create some noise. He'd take anything. 

He would never let the silence swallow him, even if that meant humming old Tatooine lullabies that Aunt Beru used to sing to him. The Force flooded off him in waves, but Luke didn't notice. He continued humming to himself, imagining his home and the two suns.

On the other side of the Executor, Vader heard his mother singing. The officer in front of him fell to the ground, unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tatooine and his past will always haunt Vader, regardless of time or location.
> 
> "The fact that these two are currently the most important people in the galaxy in this AU is beyond me", says the author, and the Force agrees. We raise our teas and continue plotting how to torment Anakin.
> 
> To any medical professionals reading this, I don't know what I'm doing. I've tried to describe *looks at smudged writing on my hand* ...uh, hypovolemic shock from wound injury. If this wasn't Star Wars, Luke would have also gone into shock or straight up died from giving out that much blood, but it's Star Wars. If Leia could survive an explosion AND the void of space, Luke and Vader can survive this. In real life they would need a hospital immediately.
> 
> I want to thank my friend in med school for answering all my ridiculous questions about the medical aspects of this chapter, even if it's still super unrealistic and made up.


	5. The Loudest Silence

The Executor was anything but silent. Nobody spoke in the corridors or in the hangars, and all minor conversations were in hushed tones.

In the Force, however, everyone screamed. Luke realised why Vader had gone mad: his flagship was an endless source of noise where everyone trembled like a child, even if on the outside they faked seriousness.

People were _terrified_ of Darth Vader. Luke knew that Vader was ruthless with non-imperials, but surely with his own subordinates he would behave? There was no way of answering that question, and Luke only felt their fear spike from the other side of the ship. It lessened after a few minutes, meaning Vader had moved on from terrorizing them. 

Admiral Piett had escorted Luke to Vader's ship and told him to wait, and he sat down to meditate, now that he finally could use the Force, and had worked himself into such a deep state of concentration that he didn't notice Vader entering the ship.

Vader stopped on his tracks at the sight of Luke sitting cross-legged with his eyes opened and barely blinking. He had only seen someone meditating like that once, and that man left him for dead. 

“Commander,” he stated loudly, “Have you contacted the base and are they still on Imperial Center?”

Luke didn't look at him, gaze fixed on the wall in front of him. “Yes, sir."

Vader ignored him and started the ship. Luke watched him discreetly from behind. The ramp closed and the ship turned around and hovered in place, waiting for the gates to open. The ship flew closer to the gates, and Luke could see that Vader was impatient to leave.

As soon as the gates opened, Vader stormed out of the Executor and Luke had to hold onto something to avoid falling. Vader then put the coordinates to Coruscant and jumped to hyperspace. 

“May I ask something, sir?” asked Luke, “Were you a pilot before you were Supreme Commander?”

Vader's presence picked in annoyance. “It is none of your concern.”

Luke clicked his tongue, deciding to milk the cow again. “Anyone from the furthest corner of the galaxy could see that you like flying. If it weren't for you being Supreme Commander I'd suspect you were a pilot.”

Vader's presence in the Force saddened and Luke noticed. 

“Are _you_ a pilot with the Rebellion, Commander?” asked Vader slowly. “Is that why you left Tatooine, to be in command?” Vader would never say that he had been thinking about Ben Starkiller day and night since he revealed he was Force-sensitive. Nothing about this boy made any sense, and Vader didn't like it.

Luke could still hear the ghosts of the people screaming in the death star. “I left because there was nothing there for me. When are we arriving?”

“In five standard hours,” said Vader, “Have you always wanted to be a pilot?”

“I refuse to answer personal questions.”

“Very well. I was about to offer an exchange of information but if you refuse...”

Luke's curiosity peaked. “What exchange?” 

Vader smirked behind the mask. “You are the first Force-sensitive I have met in decades. I have questions and I am willing to answer yours as long as they do not involve imperial matters.”

Luke's curiosity hit Vader like a wave.

“I take that as a yes.” said Vader. He got up and sat on the floor opposite Luke, crossing his legs.

Luke was mentally in hysterics. “What are you doing?”

“I do not want to talk.” said Vader.

“But you just said–!”

“The Force, Commander.” said Vader, “Let us see what you can do.”

This was ridiculous, but Luke closed his eyes and the Force hummed in recognition. He reached out slowly, and the Force splashed him like warm water.

Vader winced. Starkiller's presence in the Force was bright and vibrated like a bomb about to explode. Luke saw a shadow appearing in front of him and didn't move. The shadow stared at his bright presence and walked in circles around him, but didn't attempt any intrusions on his mind.

“You're very deep in the dark side.” thought Luke, and the shadow in front of him stopped moving.

His voice came out distorted to Vader. They weren't connected enough: Luke was holding back.

Vader opened his mind to him, shields still up. “And you're too bright. Thank the Force we're the only ones here or else someone unaccustomed to you would get blind.” he said through the Force.

Luke flinched at how melodic the voice sounded, and if it wasn't for the sarcasm he wouldn't have recognised it as Vader's. It was his natural voice— the one hidden behind the modulator of the mask. It was young but rough, and Luke couldn't help but associate honey to it. Nothing he should ever associate with Darth Vader. 

“When did you discover you were Force-sensitive?” asked Vader.

Luke's memory splashed Vader for a very short time before Luke put his walls high again. He was used to meditating, but communicating through the Force required more concentration. “I could do stuff other children couldn't, but I knew the word for it when I was about ten.”

“How did you know? You had no Master.” asked Vader.

Luke thought that he'd never get used to Vader's natural voice. It sounded too human.

“A man I knew used to be a Jedi,” said Luke, and Vader vibrated in anger, his presence in the Force now a dangerous tornado. “He's dead now, as I see that troubles you. He taught me what the Force was and gave me old books.”

“Impossible. The Jedi books were destroyed in the Temple.”

How did Vader know that?

“He had some left. Unfortunately these books are still on Tatooine, if the Jawas haven't stolen them yet.” said Luke.

“How did you manage to escape when the Empire looked for Force-sensitive children?” asked Vader. His voice might be different, but there was no mistaking that tone. He was furious.

“He taught me to shield my mind….said it was the most important thing, that it would keep me safe.” said Luke, “Perhaps he knew the Empire was hunting children and wanted to protect me."

Vader's shadow exploded like a bomb filled with nails. “I do not hunt children!”

Luke flinched but handled the acid. “You don't? Then why were you so insistent on kidnapping children when you had an Empire to take care of?”

The bomb that was Darth Vader was starting to shake again. “The Emperor ordered me to find them to ensure the Jedi stayed dead.”

“Well, you clearly missed one or two.”

“Enough! What was the name of the Jedi that instructed you?”

Luke frowned. Neither of them noticed the turbulence in the ship. “He's dead. He's of no use to you now.”

“I require names.” spat Vader angrily.

Luke hesitated. He was fond of Old Ben, and he didn't want Vader to know any version of him, even if he was dead. Old Ben deserved better. But if Vader were to throw a tantrum, Luke had nowhere to run. 

“Ben Kenobi.” he said through the Force.

They were on hyperspace, but Vader's loneliness made the planets near them witness an earthquake. Whatever was left of his own heart, he crushed it. The Force cried and pulled Vader into a tornado of his own misery. “Kenobi is dead?” 

His voice was but a mere whisper, and Luke shifted awkwardly, finally opening his eyes. "Yes? Why?”

Vader sat incredibly still in front of him. “He was one of the Jedi Masters that caused the Order to fall.”

Luke laughed, despite sensing the poison slipping from Vader. “Ben? He wouldn't hurt a soul!” he exclaimed.

“He had more blood on his hands than both of us combined.” 

Checking that his shields were in place, Luke mentally disagreed and remembered the death star. “You knew him?”

Vader clenched his fists. The tornado slowed down, but it started to rain. “For the purpose of this conversation you will not mention that _traitor_ again. Are we clear?” said Vader slowly. Luke frowned at the word but decided to ignore it. 

He closed his eyes and reached the Force again. Vader's shadow was still angry, but the radius of anger was small, so the poison he radiated only affected him. 

Luke took a deep breath. “My turn. Were you aware of the technical slips in the Death Star?” he asked through the Force.

“I thought we had agreed not to dwell on imperial matters.”

“It's not an imperial matter. I'm just confirming my suspicions.”

Vader's darkness calmed down. “Your suspicions?”

Luke mentally took a step back. “That you don't give a single fuck about the death star, or the second death star, or any of the next ones. You noticed the error but didn't say anything.”

Vader almost laughed.

Almost.

Ben Starkiller was ridiculous, even if he was correct. If this had happened with any other person they would be dead for disrespecting him. “Is that anyhow relevant to you?”

“That's the politest way I've ever been told to fuck off, and I am friends with politicians.”

Vader didn't react. “Do not ask about this again. Tell me, why did you want to become a pilot?”

Luke frowned. He had just accused Vader of treason and the man was interested in his life choices? To be fair, Luke had stopped trying to understand Vader days ago. “Mostly because of a family member, I guess.”

The Force was screaming in Vader's ears, but he ignored it. It always screamed around Ben Starkiller. Meanwhile, Luke was growing anxious and trying his hardest to hide it. It could have fooled Vader if they were speaking orally, but the Force didn't allow the filter of body language. “You seem nervous, Commander.”

“I don't want to talk about personal things.” said Luke. He would never speak to Vader about his father. It was the most precious thing he held in his heart.

“Was this family member Force-sensitive, too? I don't recall any pilots who were force-sensitive. Most pilots were clones.” said Vader, choosing his words carefully. 

Luke didn't want Vader tainting his father's memory. “I have no way of knowing if he was force-sensitive or not!” spat Luke.  
  
There it was. Vader's shadow moved around in the Force, vibrating with pride. Starkiller was talking about his father. “And your mother, was she Force-sensitive?” asked Vader.

Luke cursed himself when he realised Vader had fooled him into confessing. He had forgotten that Vader held the unofficial title of Supreme Imperial Interrogator.

“She suffered the same faith as he did, but I have had excellent caretakers. Pity the Empire killed them.”

The Force tensed around them like a string about to snap. The connection was shattering.

Vader became very still. "Had I not been busy with recovering the death star plans, I would have ordered the troops not to kill civilians.” he said audibly.

“Since when do _you_ care about civilians?” spat Luke, not believing Vader's hypocrisy. 

Vader crossed his arms. “Do not be foolish, I do not care about civilians. I care about having wasted troops and ammunition on insignificant scum when the real danger to the Empire was already within the Rebellion.”

Luke blinked.

He stared at him.

“You don't get to decide who dies or who lives! You don't have that power.” he said through clenched teeth. 

Vader opened his eyes. “I do.” Luke's face was contorted in deep anger and Vader smirked. “What is the matter, Commander? Are you troubled?”

Vader lowered his shields and allowed all the poison to sweep Luke through the Force. Luke clenched his fists and took a deep breath, merely shaking from the impact. 

Vader was most impressed. Anyone else would be scared from such a hit.

Luke took a deep breath to calm himself down. “Don't think I am unaware of your Sith tricks.” 

The Force stunk from several acids fuming off Vader. “Your hanging into neutrality within the Force is foolish. You have hate and anger but you choose not to use them,” he flinched at the memory, cursing himself for quoting old adversaries, “Why are you hanging into the light side of the Force? It is naive.”

Luke felt adrenaline rushing through his bones. “And aren't you tired of being in pain all the time?” 

Vader stopped.

“Yes, _you_ , Lord Vader. Each time you lower your shields this poison slips through. It's lethal. I might be a fool in your eyes but at least I don't self-destruct in the name of the dark side.” he said coldly. He hadn't even realised he was towering over the sitting figure of Darth Vader.

The Force tried to keep him away from Vader, but Luke pushed it away.

“I don't know what happened to you but I know Sith Lords aren't born evil. No one does. Have at least some self-respect for the man you were and stop torturing yourself, will you?” he exclaimed.

Luke stormed out of the cockpit, leaving Vader on the floor. The ship shook left and right, and neither of them knew who was causing it. Vader urged the Force to stop it, but it no longer listened to him. It had followed Starkiller and Vader felt empty, even emptier since he learnt of Kenobi's death.

His former Master was dead.

He should be glad, but part of him wished it was him who had killed Obi-Wan. He should have been next to him when he died. Obi-Wan hid on Tatooine, the one place he knew Anakin Skywalker would never return to. He was awfully clever, always had been. He even befriended a Force-sensitive kid.

Vader clenched his fists and sat down on the pilot's seat, legs up the panel, staring at hyperspace. If Luke had been nearby or still connected to him, he would notice a single tear leaking through Vader's helmet and evaporating before it hit the ground.

* * *

Luke adjusted the seat closer and stretched his arms, and the ship descended at high speed towards Coruscant. Vader clenched his jaw at the speed but made no comment. 

The ships at the Alliance were fast enough to fly from battle, but being able to fly one of the best ships in the galaxy was something else, so Luke took a longer route towards the base. After some swearing and one near crash, Luke landed the ship in front of a tall grey building in the outskirts of the city centre. 

Vader activated all the exterior defense mechanisms as he did on Tatooine because they weren’t exactly in the safest part of Coruscant. He wanted to ask, but having diagnosed the Commander's attitude as silent treatment, he chose to say nothing. 

Luke walked towards the main entrance and Vader saw a metallic box, which the Commander opened and entered a code. The door unlocked and Luke entered, looking behind for one split of a second to make sure Vader was following him.

The inside of the building was modern and Vader now could recognise it as a military base. The silence between them was unnervong and pointless to Vader. Luke was still processing Vader's hypocrisy. 

They felt someone approaching, and Luke had never felt such urges to hug someone. “General. I'm so glad to see you.” said Luke, extending his hand. He would keep formalities in front of Vader.

Bail Organa, meanwhile, was trying his hardest not to look at Vader. “So do I, Ben,” he said, shaking Luke's hand back with a warm smile. “Lord Vader.”

“General.” acknowledged Vader drily.

Bail gestured them to follow him. They walked through long grey corridors and Vader was surprised to see all life forms together in one distant room, their presence calm. They entered a meeting room with one big table in the middle.

Bail took a seat at the corner and Luke sat next to him. Vader sat opposite them, tilting his mask to look at Organa but his eyes were glued on the Commander. 

Bail felt overwhelmed by the tension in the room. His experience in politics never prepared him for this. “Did that wire lead you anywhere cohesive?”

The wire problem felt like ages ago. Luke nodded and spoke. “It was ordered by the Empire but Lord Vader claims they had no reason to order from external manufacturers. I identified the message they received as one of Jabba's servants', so we flew to Tatooine but turns out Jabba wasn’t behind the kidnappings either. However, he did know something.”

Bail frowned and let his chin rest on his hand, nodding. Vader kept staring at Luke, not bothering to keep his mask pointed towards Organa anymore. Luke ignored him.

“Jabba was contacted by one of his cronies who said that some “job was done”, but Jabba didn't know what she was talking about so he didn’t bother to ask,” explained Luke, frowning, “But he did confess to having a mole in the Alliance.”

Bail adjusted his position in his seat. “Jabba the Hutt has a mole _here?_ Why?”

“It's of no use discussing the whys behind this. We need answers.” stated Luke, and Vader’s eye flinched briefly. “He said it was a woman. It might tie back to the security issue we had.”

Bail hummed. “We have been on lockdown since you left as per your orders. No one's left or entered the base. Did you find anything else?”

Vader tensed and looked at Luke, scanning him through the Force but finding him impenetrable. Luke didn't even look at him when he smiled politely and shook his head.

Direct disobedience and lying, thought Vader, interesting. 

“The medical issues you said you had, are you alright now? Do you need treatment?” asked Bail.

“I'm fine. We have more important things to do now,” said Luke, wanting to get out of there, “Is Leia holding the meeting? My plan was to infiltrate it and see if anyone is suspicious. I don't think I’ll be able to do that if Leia is holding the meeting. She’ll call it quits if she sees me in the crowd.”

Vader spoke. “I could do it.” 

It was the first time that Luke looked at him. “No offense, but you are easily recognisable, sir.”

They were back to Sirs now. Vader wanted to break something. He stood up. “With a change of clothes I could pass for a newcomer. I have been informed you have been having many lately,” he said slowly, “What is the stipulated number of people at the meeting?” 

“Two hundred and fifty.” answered Bail.

“How many of them are newcomers?” asked Vader, clicking his boots against the tiled floor.

“Around thirty, I assume.”

“Very well. No one will notice a new face. I will remain at the back. General, you will join the woman holding the meeting at the front. I will scan for anything suspicious.”

“But what if you're seen or recognised?” 

Vader spoke. “Nobody will recognise me, and I believe if the woman was Force-sensitive the Commander would have suspected her already.”

Luke shot him a lethal look. The Force around them was an electrical storm about to pour at any moment. 

“Why do you say that?” asked Bail.

“Drop the lies. I am aware of his Force-sensitivity.” said Vader.

Bail turned around to look at Luke with panicked eyes. Luke just stared at Vader, arms crossed, clearly displeased, then his face changed. “Alright, then! We need to get Lord Vader a bright orange suit.” he said with dry enthusiasm, walking towards the door. 

Vader shook his head. “Not so fast, Commander. Where do you think you are going?”

“To the meeting?”

Vader reached Luke through the Force harshly, tearing his shields down, and spoke fast before Luke could shut him out. _I will not allow my identity to be exposed to this man. If you do not want him to die you will stay with me. Is that understood?_

Bail looked at them and could sense that something was said between lines. Luke was looking the angriest he’s ever seen him and they stared at each other for what felt like ages.

Luke spoke through the Force. _I wouldn't let you wander alone. Besides, people will shoot at you and I want to be there when it happens._ He gestured with a tilt of the head for Vader to follow him, which he did.

Bail blinked. A few days ago they hated each other, but now...  
  
He would have to ask Luke about what the hell happened on Tatooine.

*** * ***

They entered a small white storage room and Luke walked into a closet. “Are you sure nobody will recognise you?”

Vader thought about it. Bail Organa would recognise Anakin Skywalker, but Vader wasn’t planning on leaving the back rows, so he wouldn’t see him. And he doubted that any of the rebels were born when Skywalker was the posterboy for the Republic. 

“Without the mask I have no reason to believe I would be recognised.” said Vader. He would wipe their minds if anyone even dared to look at him.

Luke frowned, still looking for where they kept the medium-large suits. “What do you mean?” he whispered in irony, “You haven't worn that thing your entire life?”

Vader swallowed, his force-presence radiating annoyance and...was that fear? Vader didn’t answer, and Luke appeared holding a dark brown bodysuit. “Standard uniform.”

Vader took the uniform. “Confirm that everyone is in position.” 

Luke nodded and left the room. Once Luke was outside, Vader lifted his shields even higher and released his fear. His mask had become a part of him; he hasn't spoken to anyone without it for over decades. 

The suit was big enough that he could fit in without removing any more clothing, so he put it on with disgust and put his black boots back on. He realised the black boots were of different quality than the suit, but he was sure nobody would pay attention to something as trivial as clothing.

He tried to look for a mirror to calm himself down, but found none. He looked ridiculous, he must have looked even more ridiculous with the mask still on. Vader took a deep breath and put it back in the closet, covering it with his cape _._

Feeling angrier than ever, Vader walked towards the door and it opened on his command automatically, and Luke was leaning near it. Vader looked at him, _really_ looked at him, without the shades of his mask, and the Force made him shiver. 

Luke turned around when he felt Vader's presence grow angry, and their eyes met.

Luke froze. 

Hoth was warmer than how his blood felt.

He had seen Vader unmasked before, but that Vader was dying and his eyes weren't orange. Luke had a vague idea of what Vader looked like before he passed out on Tatooine, but now, seeing Vader without the mask, and alive, he understood that he was dangerous. It was the creepiest sight Luke had ever seen.

He was tall and muscular and could have easily passed for a rebel, especially in the uniform. But he looked haunted. His skin was nearly as pale as it was on Tatooine, on the verge of death when blue eyes stared at him, not recognising him. Now he had orange-yellow eyes that Luke couldn't even look at, and a piercing gaze that could tear an entire flagship apart. His gaze told a story of impatience and he had a slight nervous tick on his lower lid from years of tension and glaring at officers. 

Vader's hair was unkept from being under a helmet all the time. It was dirty blond, wavy and almost shoulder length. One would expect Darth Vader, second in command to the Empire, to be luxurious, but if Luke hadn't known him he would have thought the man grew up in Anchorhead. 

The Force was white noise on Coruscant.

Vader scanned the corridors up and down with speed that was unnacounted for, and he was uncomfortable to say the least. His mask allowed him to stare whenever he wanted, but now he was exposed. “The plan,” said Vader, unused to hearing his natural voice speak to someone other than droids. Luke wouldn't have recognised the man in front of him as Darth Vader if it weren’t for his posture and the way he walked towards him, determined and oh so angry. “You will remain outside the room, I will scan for any suspicious women. If I detect anything, I will send the image to you and leave.” 

This was the first time Luke heard and saw Darth Vader clearly, without any dangers or bad lightning in between. He frowned: he knew this was Darth Vader because there was no mistaking his presence, but his voice was deep and melodic, a collected calm. 

Yet it was so familiar...but Luke couldn't place it. He asked the Force to help him, but it was quiet. 

They were facing each other at a respectable distance but Vader still towered over Luke. With Vader's exposed facial features Luke wondered if Vader was always frowning. The man mustn't have been older than his dad would have been, but he looked _so_ tired. Luke made a mental note to force the man to get some sleep later, even if that meant accidentally crashing on Allanteen again. He didn't care about Vader particularly, but it unnerved him being next to someone that looked like Death itself. 

“How will you send me images?” asked Luke, frowning. Vader still stared at him, barely blinking, making full eye contact. Luke knew Vader wasn't using the Force to enter his mind, but he still felt exposed.

Vader's jaw clenched and he swallowed. Luke deviated his sight to his neck for brief milliseconds before going back up. He wanted to run and hide and never see this man again.

“You will need to open your side of the Force connection, Commander. I believe you are still...” said Vader slowly, shutting his eyes to find the appropriate word, “... _discouraged_ to use the Force in my presence.”

“Discouraged is not the word I would use, Lord Vader,” said Luke, and then looked at the orange eyes again, “I simply don't want to.”

“You are endangering the future of your little insignificant _group_ because of your selfish desires not to cooperate. Truce has been established and you _do not_ want me to break it off," spat Vader, his voice acidic. A light snapped at the end of the corridor. “It would be a pity if I were to cancel truce at this exact second, don't you think?”

Luke took a step back. Vader was breathing in small breaths and his presence in the Force was a storm. He looked like the embodiment of the dark side. But as ridiculous as he was, he was right. If Vader decided to stop the truce, they would all be dead in a matter of minutes. 

The Alliance depended on him.

He looked at Vader and opened their connection reluctantly, and Vader's poison hit him before the man realised and put his shields up. 

Luke gestured to follow him. The meeting room was on the other side of the building, so they had a long walk. Luke could sense that Vader had calmed down, so he decided to speak. “If you find the woman–"

“If?” said Vader through clenched teeth, and Luke sighed.

“ _When_ you find the woman,” he said, not wanting to test Vader's patience, “what's the plan?”

Vader continued walking in silence, but Luke couldn't see his expressions. Luke understood that Vader was much more readable without the mask. His body language already spoke volumes but his face was an open book. He didn't know if Darth Vader was scarier with or without the mask. On one hand, the mask gave him objectivity and distorted his voice, so people didn't think he was even human, but on the other hand—

“I will apprehend and question her about who her employer is and what business do they have mendling with the Empire. If she confesses, I will take her to the Executor and what I do next no longer concerns you.” interrupted Vader.

Luke just blinked. “That is a brilliant plan, but how will you apprehend her in a room full of people?”

“I have my methods, Commander.”

Luke didn't want him to elaborate, he really didn't. “As long as those methods don’t mean any harm to the innocent.”

Vader didn't like how he talked back. If the mission happened without truce the Commander would already be dead. But there was a pinch of familiarity he couldn't quite shake off, and it bothered him. Perhaps it was Kenobi's behaviour that rubbed off on Ben Starkiller. 

“No one in this building is innocent. Need I remind you that I have a bounty on the death star pilot?” asked Vader.

Luke tensed, careful not to show it through the bond that now chained him to Darth Vader. “I do, Lord Vader, and regardless of where we stand, I will not disclose that information.”

“Very well, but I believe you will be pleased to hear that I do not care for who they are.”

“Then why the bounty?” asked Luke. The fact that they slipped so easily back into respectful conversation was worrying. 

“It is merely a legal procedure. They must answer for their crimes, but I have no desire to hunt them down myself. There are other people on it as we speak.”

Luke swallowed, not knowing how to feel about that. Having Darth Vader not hunting you personally was a huge relief, but imperials were still looking for him. “Apprehend that woman, make it quietly, and don't kill her. Tell me as soon as you see anything suspicious.” said Luke.

Vader didn't answer, still scanning the base up and down. While he could not do anything _now,_ he could do something about the base later. Luke knew this, and he knew that as soon as their mission ended they would have to relocate immediately.

Again.

They walked in silence, with Vader a few steps behind Luke, until they reached a locked door with background noise of people talking. Luke's heart beat faster when he recognised Leia’s voice. 

Darth Vader stood next to him, arms crossed. It was a sight Luke had grown used to, and he wondered how many people in the galaxy could say that. He doubted Vader had any meaningful relationships, but if he had any family—which Luke never wanted to know anything about, let alone meet them— he pitied them. 

Vader looked more relaxed now, and Luke wondered if this was the easiest mission the man had been on. “Go straight ahead. Avoid being seen, do not talk to anybody.”

Vader turned his head slowly to look at him. “Do not give me orders.”

Luke took a step closer and it made Vader angry. “This is a collaborative mission, Lord Vader. I know the people inside, I know what they think and I know their behaviour better than you do.” said Luke in a whisper, staring up at Vader's yellow eyes, “They know an intruder when they see one, and while you're lucky that no one will recognise you as Darth Vader, I doubt any of them will pass the opportunity to ask about your identity if they see you. You'd like to avoid that, _sir_.”

Vader was furious. “You do not get to–”

“I know!” shouted Luke in a whisper, rolling his head to look at the ceiling, “We don't have time for this _now_! Just go!” he said through clenched teeth. Vader let out a low growl and stumped forward, disappearing into the room. Even if he looked like someone's inspiration for a painting, the way he carried himself still said high authority, and Luke just prayed that Vader wouldn't move too much once he was inside.

In the Force, Vader breathed pure homicidal bliss. Setting him loose in a room full of people he hated was not a good idea. 


	6. Burning Like Embers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The meeting room structure is basically the same as in Return of The Jedi but much more crowded and NOT in space, [here.](https://i.imgur.com/OmN6Irg.png)

**"I am afraid that if I open myself, I will not stop pouring.** **Why do I fear becoming a river? What mountain gave me such shame?”**

The room where the briefing was happening was more crowded than he expected. Vader felt uncomfortable in a crowd, even if that allowed him to fit in better. He stood silently outside the crowd and heard Bail interrupting Leia's speech on an attack they were planning.

Bail didn't trust him.

Good.

Vader also felt the Commander's presence outside the room like never ending static inside his brain. He tried to concentrate, but the Force didn't let him. It kept pulling at the string he shared with Ben Starkiller; a string he intended to break as soon as this was over. 

Vader stared at the crowd and reached out into the Force as far as he could. From seeing only the backs of their heads Vader couldn't make out the sex of people, so he extended into the Force further, feeling the Commander's unease outside, always constant in his mind. The static inside his brain had extended to his arms now.

“Hey, you a pilot?”

Vader frowned and turned around. He didn't do anything yet, why was he noticed?

A humanoid woman of a species he didn't recognise was staring at him. She was the Commander's age, maybe older, with ginger hair and brown skin. She was leaning on the wall next to him, arms crossed, looking ahead. Vader clenched his jaw on instinct: killing her was not an option.

“I get it, it's so annoying.” she whispered.

Vader swallowed, staring ahead. “What is?” he asked, in the gentlest way he could so as not to raise suspicion. He hadn't used that tone of voice in over twenty years. It felt wrong.

The woman turned to look at him. “All these briefings. We've been here for what? Two hours already? No one's listenin anymore. It's annoying.”

Vader didn't turn to face the woman, who was standing dangerously close to him. His patience would snap at any moment. 

“Where you from?” she asked, and Vader shut his eyes in frustration. He couldn't believe this. 

“Nowhere.” he answered, voice dangerously low. Anyone in the Executor would already be running away if he used that tone, but the woman just smiled. 

“Nowhere, huh...” she whispered, “You a pilot? I've never seen you before.”

If she was Force-sensitive, Vader was sure she would have ran the other way already. "I was stationed out,” he said, hesitating, “I came back recently.”

The woman frowned. "We haven't had any stationing out."

"It was a long mission." said Vader through clenched teeth.

“Hmm. Tell me about it?"

Vader was forcing himself to take deep breaths. His blood raged in pure homicidal bliss. The rebels were so stupid. “Shouldn't you be paying attention?” he spat.

“What are you, my father?” she asked, tone teasing. Vader was shaking with anger now, his fists curled at his sides but hidden under the long sleeves. “Hey, you alright?”

Vader looked at her and she took a step back. He approached her closely, careful not to draw any attention, and raised his hand in front of her face. “You will forget seeing me here and will walk away now.”

She walked away in a trance, and Vader sighed. He continued searching for any waves of suspicion through the Force, but felt the string vibrating on the other end. The vibrations were coming closer, and a voice echoed inside his head.

_I hope you haven't killed anyone yet._

Vader blinked. _Commander,_ _you would know if I did._

_Have you found her?_

_No._

_Then keep searching. The faster you find her, the sooner we can leave._

The vibrations in the string faded away, and Vader reached out into the Force again.

There it was.

He could sense hate and unease coming from someone in the front row. He walked through the crowd and tilted his head to look at the front row, but a man looked at him in confusion. “Who are you–” he whispered, but then his attention was elsewhere.

Vader saw her. A human woman, middle aged, staring at Bail and the Princess. She wasn't Force-sensitive but her hatred flooded the room. Vader opened the bond and sent Luke what he was seeing.

Luke shivered at the way the string burnt him whenever Vader used it. _Is that her?_

_I believe so. Her hate for General Organa is strong._

_They've been there for over three hours, I think most people superficially hate General Organa right now. Is there anyone else that strikes you down as suspicious?_

Vader scanned the room again. _No._

Luke rubbed his temple. _Alright, you can leave now._

_I need to apprehend her._

_Lord Vader, apprehending her now will only raise questions. I will inform General Organa and he will ask her to stay. Then you can apprehend her, but I will be coming with you._

Vader growled and left the room from the back door, opening it with the Force.

The Commander was already waiting for him, posture straight and hands behind his back. Their gazes met and Vader's spine shivered again. The Force was behaving unnaturally around them, but at least the static in his brain stopped.

Vader spoke. “Do you know her?” 

Luke wondered how anyone could live in such a state of mind. “I don't.” 

“The records must be checked.”

Luke frowned. “I am not letting you check our records. Did...anything else happen?”

Vader walked closer to him, raising a finger. Blue eyes met orange. “It did not. These people lack the skills to win the war. They are untrained, unprofessional and do not possess intelligence. I will see to myself that the Rebellion is shattered to pieces.” he spat, turning around and going somewhere.

Luke's eyes widened and he ran towards him. “Where are you going?” he asked, once he finally reached him. 

“Looking at the records is the fastest way to put an end to this mission. The name of the woman will open doors, or have you forgotten that I have access to all imperial records of living sentients?” asked Vader angrily. 

A woman walked past them and stopped to stare. Luke smiled at her and shrugged it off. “He's joking.” he mouthed.

"I am aware of that and I agree with you, but I will not allow you to roam through our personal records. I will do it." said Luke. He was using an alias for a reason. If the bounty hunters discovered his name and reported it to the Empire, or even worse, if Vader already knew Skywalker was behind the destruction of the death star— he would kill him. He couldn't risk it.

"Very well. When is the meeting scheduled to finish?” asked Vader.

"As soon as I give the signal," answered Luke. “If we find anything in the records, I will send it.”

Vader nodded and they walked in silence, their Force energies clashing against each other like two loose pendants. Vader tried entering Luke's mind slowly so he wouldn't notice, but Luke did, and put his shields so high up that Vader flinched. He looked at Luke, whose face didn't twitch a muscle. 

_Don't._ said Luke.

The boy was dangerous, and for the first time Vader wanted to disobey his Master's orders of killing Force-sensitives. Destroying Ben Starkiller would mean destroying talent, someone whose connection to the Force _nearly_ equalled his. 

They reached a room and Luke went inside, shutting the door behind him. Vader growled and waited outside, leaning on the wall and crossing his arms. He felt static crawling up his legs again and cursed the Force. He hadn't had a connection with another Force-sensitive that wasn't Sidious in decades. 

Vader felt someone approaching him, and lowered his gaze to the ground. A man passed in front of him, eyeing him up and down, but then stopped on his tracks. 

“Sorry, do I know you from somewhere?” he asked, datapad in hand.

Vader's face paled even more than he thought possible. He didn't raise his gaze from the floor. "No. Shouldn't you be at the briefing?" he asked angrily.

“I'm just a mechanic. We're not allowed in,” he answered. "But you're so familiar..."

Vader looked at the man and saw that he must have been in his seventies, old enough to remember Anak—

The man leaned closer, frowning and inspecting Vader's face. "Yes, I know you! Didn't you fight in the clone wars?"

Vader swallowed and felt the fear pulse in his throat. "No, I did not. Leave now."

"Yes, you did! I saw you on the holonet all the time. My sons admired you, though I don't really know who you are...just your face." he said slowly, mesmerised.

Vader then raised his eyes to meet the man's. 

The mechanic took a step back. "What happened to your eyes? I think they were blue."

"You confuse me with someone else. Leave _now_." warned Vader slowly.

The man sighed. "No I don't! Just let me...let me focus. Hold on, I think–"

He continued staring at Vader and then his face dropped three shades of color. "Skywalker? The hero with no fear? That's what they called you, but didn't you die during– _Oh!_ You must be Luk—"

His neck snapped and he fell to the ground.

Vader hadn't heard a word of what he said.

The Force was judgemental, but Vader ignored it. Luke walked out of the room, busy reading a file, and stopped when his feet stumbled against something. "I got the—WHAT THE HELL?!” he shouted, looking at the body, "What did I tell you about not killing people?!" he exclaimed through clenched teeth, careful to keep his voice down. "Is this the truce you promised?!"

"I can alter my promises anytime I desire, Commander.” answered Vader. He felt calm, the calmest since he nearly killed Jabba.

Luke closed his eyes and reached out to the Force, taking a few breaths to calm down. “What happened?” he demanded, looking at Vader. 

“He asked too many questions.”

“That's not a reason to kill people!” stated Luke, voice cold and dangerously calm. Luke knew he could snap at any moment, but he couldn't defend himself against Vader, not without his lightsaber.

“What have you found?” asked Vader, wanting to drop the subject. 

"No, you don't get to change the topic now.” spat Luke, walking closer to him and looking at him with hatred. "You're not in control of other people's lives, how many times do I have to tell you this? You do what you want in your own flagship, but this building is under my protection and you _will_ stick to some basic rules if you wish to have your Emperor back, am I clear?"

Vader was sure he would kill Ben Starkiller. Nobody spoke to him like that, not even his Master. Who did this child think he was?

"Do not dare to disobey me, Commander. You seem to be forgetting I can blow up this base in a matter of minutes if I wished."

"Oh, trust me! I know," spat Luke, pointing at the dead man on the floor. “Let's finish this mission so you can get out of here," he said fast and then placed a folder in the air between them. “I found this. The woman is from the Outer Rim, more reason to think she works for Jabba.”

Vader looked at Luke and then back at the folder, reading her personal data and looking at the photograph. It was her. 

Luke commed Bail immediately. "We found her. Let everyone go except Celissa Vanis," he said, ignoring Vader's intense staring. “Tell her to stay and leave the room. We will follow." He shut the commlink off and closed his eyes.

Vader, meanwhile, was seeing ghosts. In Ben Starkiller's face, for one brief milisecond, he saw his younger self. He blinked and it was gone, but the shock it left on him lasted.

The Force was playing tricks on him as a punishment for killing the mechanic. It had to be. And he hadn't used the Force to such an extent in decades, he must have been overextending his abilities–

Luke managed to gain enough courage to look at Vader. The man was in trance, his presence in the Force clouded by confusion. "Lord Vad–"

Someone was coming. In less than a second, Vader moved the dead body through the Force to another corridor, out of sight from the newcomer. 

Luke turned around, and when he saw who was coming, he wanted to scream. 

Luke didn't trust Vader not to kill the intruder if his face was seen, so Luke took a step forward, enough not to make the intruder suspect and still have Vader on sight.  
  
Vader had his back on the intruder, while Luke was staring at them. "Hey! I thought you were at the meeting?" asked Luke, hoping his tone didn't show that he was scared for her life.

Leia walked closer. “My dad took over. When did you arrive? I wasn't told you’d be here today." 

Luke let out a fake smile and cursed the way his hands shook. “I just came back, sorry I couldn't attend the briefing. I had other things to take care of. How's Han?” 

"Oh, you know him, he's fine. We've been worried about you. How did the mission go? What have you found?" she asked. There were ten steps between them. Vader shot Luke a warning glare, and Luke knew what it meant: he would kill her if she stepped any closer. 

“Wait! Don't move.” said Luke anxiously, his fear a knot inside his throat. 

Leia stopped. “Who's that?” she said, pointing at Vader's back. Luke didn't look at him, he didn't need to, he knew the gaze he would be met with. 

Nine steps.

"No one. He's leaving now."

Leia frowned. “You're acting weird, are you alright?”

Eight steps.

"Don't move, _please_. I just need to wrap some things up and I'll be with you."

Leia looked around in confusion, but didn't move. Luke took a step back to stand in front of Darth Vader, whose face revealed nothing. “Meet me at the back door from before, I will be right behind you. Don't kill anybody, use the Force to draw attention from yourself, I don't care. But we're _this_ close to finishing the mission, so don’t–”

Vader was getting angrier the more he received orders. He was about to speak when Leia interrupted.

“Please, Lu–?” 

The Force slapped Luke. "Coming!" he interrupted.

Vader raised an eyebrow. He recognised Starkiller's terror as the same terror his officers experienced when they did something wrong. 

Luke couldn't even look at him. He walked to Leia and let her guide him out of the corridor. She asked him about his health, why he was shaking, but Luke didn't hear her. Static occupied his brain and he could sense that Vader hadn't moved from where he left him.

* * *

Vader made a stop to change back to his normal attire, mask included, and reached the backdoor where he had argued with the Commander not even an hour ago. He found Ben Starkiller staring at a wall, not blinking. Vader took a moment to look at him: with his defenses down, he looked like a lost child. He didn't know who put a kid in charge of such a risky mission, but it was a bad idea.

They entered the room and saw a woman sitting where Vader had last seen her, and Luke looked at him, to which Vader nodded. Vader reached out to the Force and kept the woman in her seat with a slight gravitational force.

Luke walked down the stairs and approached her. “Celissa Vanis?” he asked, finally looking at her. She was middle-aged and had several fading bruises and red scratches on her face. She looked like she had been through war and several crashes, so it's no wonder she fitted so well in the Alliance.

Her dark eyes widened in panic. “Let me go, Jedi!”

Luke frowned at how Celissa was familiar with the Jedi. “Answer a few questions and I will let you go. I truly mean no harm.”

Vader's gaze didn't leave Luke, even if invisible from the mask. 

Celissa scowled. “I'm not answering anything.”

“Then you have something to hide.”

“I don't.” she spat and looked at him, nostrils flared. 

“Do you work for Jabba the Hutt?” asked Luke.

“Why do you think I'm going to answer that?”

Luke shook his head, and Vader smiled under the mask, entertained with the act. “Why are you so hostile with me? I thought you were a rebel?”

Celissa didn't answer but her jaw clenched with repressed words. Luke sighed and kneeled to look at her. “We can make this quick, you just have to answer my questions, or else I can stay here all day, I don't mind.”

“I'm very resilient, Jedi.”

Luke shook his head. “I'm not a Jedi, and I ask again: do you work for Jabba the Hutt?”

Celissa rolled her eyes and stared at the wall ahead. She was still trying to move from the gravitational force was keeping her in her seat, but Vader didn't even notice her attempts at escaping. His attention was full on Starkiller. 

“Do you work for Jabba?” repeated Luke.

Celissa didn't answer.

“He's dead.” lied Luke. Celissa’s confusion spiked and Luke knew he hit a nerve. “So, you worked for him?”

Celissa's face became grave but she didn't answer. “Did you kill him?”

“No, but he's dead, and your last job was ordered by him, wasn't it?” asked Luke, but she didn't answer. “I'm resilient too, Celissa. And I have something you don't,” she looked at him, “I have patience. Did you get paid for it?”

Celissa was trying to move out of the grasp. Vader deviated his glance from the Commander for a brief second as his patience ran thin. He tightened the gravitational force around her and she squealed at the tension around her.

Luke shot Vader a look. _Don't hurt her._

_She will not crack under your politeness._

_I need her alive. Alive people give information, dead people don't!_

Vader scowled at the analogy. _You are not familiar with IT-O units, are you not?_

_Trust me, I am. Lethal things, but I need her alive. Stop!_

Vader lessened the grip he had on Celissa and she visibly relaxed, glancing at Luke with pure hatred. “You're a monster.”

“No, but your former employer was. Did he order you to kidnap Mon Mothma?” he asked, deciding not to reveal that the Emperor was missing just in case she wasn't guilty. 

Celissa's heart skipped a beat at the name and both of them noticed. 

Luke frowned. “You did. Why?”

Celissa was silent and Vader tightened the grip again. “I didn't ask. It was just a job!”

“You have infiltrated the Rebellion for just an insignificant job?” asked Luke.

“It's not an insignificant job! I do mercenary work, then one day I receive a transmission from Jabba! Do you know how much cash that slug moves?”

Vader rolled his eyes.

“Did you see Jabba the Hutt, or was it a holocron?” asked Luke.

“Just a voice.”

Luke frowned and looked at Vader. Their gazes met and Vader stopped breathing. The static had already crawled into his legs, and the Force felt like it was about to explode.

“Celissa, do you speak Huttese?” asked Luke, frowning.

“No, why?” she asked.

“Was Jabba speaking in Basic?” asked Luke. Celissa's face remained impassive and Luke kneeled in front of her. “Jabba the Hutt does not speak Basic. Are you sure it was him?”

“He said it was him, he sounded like him, not that I’ve had much contact with the slug. I didn't care, a job was a job. I needed the money.”

“So you're confessing to the kidnapping of Mothma?” asked Luke. He was getting tired, and Vader's intense gaze on him wasn't relaxing either. Let alone that his bones have been aching again since they landed on Coruscant.

Celissa didn't answer, just looked away.

“Did he order you to do anything else?” he asked, wanting Celissa to say the Emperor was also missing so he could ask her about it. 

“You can say his name, you know.” she said.

Silence fell.

“Whose name?” asked Luke, and Vader was also curious.

“We both know who's behind this. I just did the dirty work.”

“Enlighten me.” sighed Luke, sitting on the floor, cross-legged. 

“If it wasn't Jabba the Hutt, then it was someone who had access to his voice recordings and enough resources to fake a transmission,” she said, but Luke wasn't following. It's not like he was an expert on galactic crime. “And tell me, who wants the Rebellion dead?”

“Most imperials? This doesn't narrow it down.”

Celissa snorted. “I'm talking about the Emperor. He wants the Rebellion gone— so he staged the transmission and told me to kidnap Mothma.”

Luke doubted the Emperor had time for that. “Why would he go through all that trouble? Hiring a mercenary and making her infiltrate the Rebellion?” 

“Well, why the hell not? He's the Emperor, he has the funds. It's him.”

Luke rubbed his eyes. None of this made any sense. “No, it can't be him because he's also missing.” 

The bomb dropped. 

Vader was regretting letting the Commander handle this. The kid didn't understand discretion.

Celissa's eyes widened. “The Emperor has been kidnapped?!” she exclaimed, and then her eyes widened at the implications of kidnapping him, “I didn't do it, I couldn't do it, I'm not that good! Do you know how difficult it is to gain access to an Imperial Cruiser? Imagine the security at the Imperial Palace! I couldn't do it.”

Vader was listening very attentively and felt proud at the mention of his fleet, and he agreed, the Empire had excellent security systems, and the Imperial Palace was even more guarded than the flagships. But his Master wasn't capable of this. It was pointless for him.

“Where's Mothma?” asked Luke.

“Why should I tell you? I still haven’t got paid.”

“If the Emperor is behind this, he'd be the one to pay you, but he’s missing, so you won't get your money.”

Silence fell.

"What if it's not the Emperor?” she suggested.

“What?”

“What if it's someone personally in command of dealing with the rebels?" 

Luke snorted. “Trust me, that's _a lot_ of people.”

“No, Starkiller, there's just one, and Force help you if you ever meet him.” she whispered cautiously.

Vader frowned.

“If it's not the Emperor, then it's Darth Vader. That man is a monster! Did you hear what he did in Ossus?”

Luke's heart stopped. He looked at Vader, whose face was unreadable behind the mask, but he knew he was staring at him too.

“So I thought," she continued, "It was a clandestine imperial operation, all the towns were destroyed in two days. Two days, kid. I met with survivors and the children still can't speak about it. Even I am not capable of that and I've done some _very_ serious shit, kid.”

Luke wasn't breathing. 

“And you're a rebel yourself, you know how many men you've lost in battle. Who do you think ordered the shots? Darth Vader wants _all_ of you dead,” she said, and then looked at Luke, “I don't know why you're so surprised. If I knew the job was from him I wouldn't have taken it. I've known bounty hunters that failed and when they went to report to him, they never returned.”

”What I'm saying is if you ever meet him, just run. Don't try to fight him if you value your life. You’re also a Jedi, you know he's behind the Jedi purge, right?”

Luke felt bad, still not looking at the dark shadow that stood unmobile in the Force, staring at him.

“You don't know about the Jedi purge? I shouldn't be the one to tell you about this, but there used to be a Jedi temple here in Coruscant. Then two days before the first Empire Day all the Jedi were slaughtered. You don't think it was magic, do you?”

Luke didn't answer.

“Yeah, so I thought. Vader killed all the Jedi, and around the galaxy they also ended up dead. Nobody knows for sure what happened, but I don't trust imperial propaganda, it was him. I'm sure some of the Jedi were kids! Kids, Commander! I'm sure he didn't give a shit. I wonder if he's even human.”

Luke was sinking into silence.

Celissa had minutes left.

“Why are you so surprised?” Luke wasn’t listening. “Well, don't look so sad. I'm telling you now Starkiller, I don't know how you found me but I'm just the executioner. The man you're looking for is Darth Vader. Good luck finding him though, he never stays in one place for too long.”

The gravitational force holding her disappeared. Celissa sighed and stretched her muscles, but saw that Luke hadn't made any gesture to set her free and stopped.

She thought about leaving the base as her cover was blown, but she looked at the kid in front of her. He looked miserable, his head down and staring impassively at the floor. She kneeled in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I still need my cash. I can help you find him.”

Celissa had seconds left. 

“I believe that will not be necessary.” a voice behind her spoke.

Celissa froze when she saw that Luke hadn't made any gesture to acknowledge the intruder. She turned around, her heart beating in her ears.

Darth Vader walked down the stairs impassively, and Celissa turned to Luke. “Hey, did you know he was here?!” she asked in panic. She shook Luke but he didn't move, his gaze fixed on the floor. 

Her vision faded to darkness.

Vader stared at Celissa's unconscious body laying in front of Luke, and reached out to him through the Force. Luke's shields went up immediately, and to do that a lot of strength was required in meditation: but Luke wasn't even meditating. 

It made Vader furious. “I am taking her back to the Executor for a full interrogation.”

Luke wasn't answering.

“Do not test my patience. Come with me.” said Vader. The Force was silent and the static in his body had disappeared.

“Was it you?” asked Luke, his voice poison and disappointment.

Wait, had he actually believed Vader was behind this? 

“It would be absurd of me to do such a thing.” stated Vader.

“It is not like you operate on solid logic, Lord Vader.” said Luke icily.

Vader frowned at the insinuated insult. He opened his mouth to speak, but found that he didn't know what to say. “Do you believe her?” asked Vader, but Luke didn't answer.

“It would have been very absurd of me to orchestrate a galactic escapade with a Rebel Commander. Not to say very time-consuming, dangerous and utterly pointless. I have more important issues to take care of than engaging in such stupidities.”

“Like what? What do you do?”

“I will not disclose imperial information to you.” said Vader.

“Answer the question.” spat Luke. His voice was a mere whisper, but it was lethal.

Vader was interested in Luke's change of mood. He had never seen him so angry. “I'm the Supreme Commander of the Imperial fleet. My duties are diverse, Commander, you cannot expect me to detail everything.”

Luke snorted in anger. “You mean you execute the Emperor's murderous wants?”

Yes, but he couldn't say that. Vader weighed the question. “Is this of any importance?”

“Is this of any importance?” repeated Luke, now standing up to his full height with speed Vader couldn't account for, “Are you telling me you don't think about the repercussions of your military actions?”

Luke's presence in the Force pulsed in anger and Vader marvelled at it.

He almost wished he could keep him.

“Wars do not offer time for self-reflection.” lied Vader. 

Luke walked closer to him. “What about Ossus?”  
  
Ossus was one of his fastest missions, but the Commander didn't need to know that. “The past is of no importance, and I suggest that for your sake you collect yourself before you do something regrettable.” warned Vader.

Luke scowled but didn't move. “Regrettable?” he asked, tasting the word in his mouth, “Do you have any regrets, Lord Vader?”

Vader's jaw clenched. “Watch your tone, Commander.”

The room grew colder. 

Luke pressed further. “Why do you give me so much freedom? Everyone who angers you ends up dead, so why am I still alive?” he asked, “You're clearly angry, I feel it.”

The tornado that was growing inside Luke could have swept anyone off their feet, but it only brushed Vader. 

Vader stood still. It would be so easy to kill him and end all of this right now. It's what he would have done with anyone else. “You are strong with the Force and would be a valuable asset to the Empire. Depraving the Force from your presence would be a shame, but if that's what it takes, I will not hesitate.”

Luke's eyes widened and he blinked twice. “Oh, so that's all I am now? I've been reduced to just another Force user?”

“You of all people, Commander, should understand the importance of the Force when it comes to galactic peace.”

“Peace? Is that what you call _peace_?!” shouted Luke, pointing at Celissa. “Did you kill all the Jedi, then?”

The question it was all leading to.

Vader sighed. He was so tired of this. If the Commander wanted to list everything he had done in the Empire, they would die of old age in that room. “The Jedi were corrupt and were plotting against the Emperor. They had to be stopped.”

“It wasn't your decision to make!” shouted Luke through clenched teeth, tired of repeating the same sentence to him, “Are you even aware of how many fathers you've killed?”

Vader frowned at the strange question, his anger replaced with confusion. “No, I've killed a lot of fathers.” he said calmly. 

Luke had electrified the tornado and it was now lethal, clumsily overpowering Vader's own presence. “My father was a Jedi.”

“So I supposed, but regardless of what you think, I have more pressing matters at hand than the discussion of my past actions.”

The lights flickered, and this time Vader was sure it wasn't him.

“You're just running away from your mistakes.” accused Luke icily.

“They are not mistakes.”

“Then what are they? Necessary actions to justify the glory of the Empire?” asked Luke, and Vader noticed the boy hadn't blinked in a long time. 

“Enough!” shouted Vader and Luke froze. “I am taking Vanis to the Executor, and I will break her for information about the whereabouts of the Emperor and your leader–“

Luke stepped in front of Celissa protectively. “No. Why should I trust you?”

Vader crossed his arms. “You seemed to trust me well enough on Tatooine, Commander.” 

Luke's dark presence flickered with doubt, but to Vader's surprise, there was no regret in it.

Vader stopped.

The entire galaxy wanted him dead, except maybe his Master—on good days—and a strange boy from Tatooine. 

Starkiller should have let him die on Tatooine, Vader was certain of it. He only saved him because the Force never allowed him to die. 

Luke answered. “I saved your life because it was the right thing to do. I do not reinforce death upon others, regardless of my opinions about them.”

Vader snorted. “Oh, but my death would have been such a pleasant surprise to the Rebellion. Is that why you haven't told Organa of your heroic deeds?”

Luke glared at him and Vader stared back. “What I say or don't say is not of your business.”

“I have had enough of your insignificant accusations.” stated Vader, presuming the conversation to be over. 

Vader walked to get Celissa but Luke took a step forward, stopping him. Their eyes met, and they both felt an incoming headache.

The Force exploded.

Darth Vader had enough.

Luke didn't have time to react when he was Force-pushed to the other side of the room. He crashed against the wall and his vision became blurry, but it wasn't enough to knock him out.

When Luke opened his eyes, Vader could swear he saw yellow in them. He didn't fear him, a simple Commander was no match for him...yet the Force made him feel guilt, regret— emotions he hadn't felt in over two decades. 

He didn't understand why.

The Commander stared at him from the floor, a long distance between them, and Vader shivered. The Force was on Ben Starkiller's side now. Whoever this boy's father was, he must have been powerful in the Force to have passed so much Force-sensitivity to him.

The Force was crying.

Vader ignored it. It didn't matter who this boy was.

He had work to do.

He picked Celissa up and moved to walk out of the room, but he heard Luke standing up.

Vader urged the Force to stop surrounding him with this strange guilt but it didn't work. With a move of Vader's wrist Luke fell unconscious to the ground and his connection to Vader weakened until the string snapped.

Embers fell through the Force, who had abandoned Vader completely and was tending to Ben Starkiller. The dark side filled the room and Vader felt a void opening inside his chest. 

He didn't care. 

Vader walked out of the room, Celissa in his arms, but his feet stopped. 

He didn't care, but he wasn't resisting either.

Vader turned around to take one last look at Ben Starkiller, just out of curiosity, and promised himself that someday he would kill the boy for good. After all, he had killed his father—even if Vader had no clue as to who that man was. 


	7. Trouble Finds Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a tw for Vader thinking he's dying and not doing anything about it. This man needs a lot of therapy.

**“Who you were, who you are, and who you will be are three different people.”**

The Force was empty and wasn't responding to anyone across the galaxy unless it was aggressively summoned. It was inside a beating heart, flowing through a child's veins and being softly exhaled moments after. Two days later, Luke Skywalker woke up in a medbay.

The doctors checked on him, and were surprised at his quick recovery. Luke couldn't stay awake for too long, so he fell asleep again. Next time he woke up, Han was staring at him.

Luke smiled tiredly. The room was small and he didn't recognize it, which was weird considering he visited medbays almost every month for injuries. 

Han spoke. “You've been asleep for three days. We were worried sick.” 

Luke briefly wondered why was he asleep for so long, until he remembered. He wish he didn't. “Is everyone okay?”

Han swallowed and looked around the room. “Define everyone...” he mumbled, scratching his head.

“Is anyone else hurt?” asked Luke harshly, knowing that it was a pointless question anyway. 

“Vader left a tray of bodies on his way out. We had to evacuate to Hoth before the base was destroyed.”

Luke shut his eyes. The minuscule guilt inside of him from a few days ago had now become giant. It was eating him alive, taking over his insides and limbs. He would speak to Bail and tell him about Celissa, and then he would do as Bail says. He's had enough self-commanding for a while.   
  
Han noticed Luke's haunted expression and interrupted. He called the doctor in and she urged Luke to sit up. She frowned when she looked closely at Luke's arm. “Have you received any blood transfusions as of late?” she asked warily.

Luke panicked. He couldn't just tell them, could he? But he couldn't lie to them either, not with the signs visible in his arm. “I got injured and lost some blood, but it's nothing.”

It wasn't nothing. It was the physical proof he had of his mistakes. He should have let Darth Vader die on Tatooine.

“It's not nothing. You've lost a lot of blood,” said the doctor, "Do you have a migraine? General Bail Organa found you unconscious on the floor with several bruises on your back. What happened?"

Luke hesitated. "I don't want to speak about it."

The doctor nodded. "I understand, but you _will_ need to report it to High Command. Now rest a few more hours. I'll bring you some pills for the headache and bacta for your spine.”

“I can't stay here. I need to talk to High Command, now.”

“This is not a negotiation. You're injured.”

Luke lied down in defeat. She was right, but it didn't mean he was fine with it. When the doctor left the room, Luke closed his eyes and stretched into the Force. The bond he shared with Vader was practically non-existent and Luke couldn't feel him anywhere. It annoyed him that the bond had become so familiar to him, and now that it was gone, Luke felt alone.

He shook his head.

Better to be alone than connected to a monster. After all, he's been alone in the Force for as long as he remembered. There were ashes from his latest encounter with Vader, and Luke remembered how the rage nearly took over him. He was glad he didn't give in.

He couldn't feel Vader on the planet, so he reached out further. 

He was gone.

*** * ***

Luke twitched in his seat. He was physically uncomfortable because of the bruises that were aching on his back as he leant on the chair. The generals were talking shop, waiting for Luke to start explaining, but he didn't hear a word of what they said because the pain was too distracting. “I owe you an explanation.”

The generals listened.

“What do you want to know?" asked Luke.

"Full report of your activities since you left."

Luke nodded politely. "I went with Darth Vader to investigate Mothma's kidnapping. Our first stop was on Coruscant. We asked about a wiring that we found where she was last seen and turns out it was acquired by imperials. Vader claimed he had nothing to do with it."

“And you believed him?” asked Bail.

Luke nodded. “I did. He said everything had to pass through his approval and he had never seen the wire before. Anyway, I asked him about the transmission he received, and he let me listen to it. I recognised the voice as one of Jabba the Hutt's servants on Tatooine.”

“So we went to Tatooine and,” said Luke, and then stopped breathing when he remembered their conversations during hyperspace, their crash on Antilleen, and his bruises now ached even more, “But we needed a plan to deal with Jabba. He came up with one pretty quickly,”

Bail frowned. “You followed Vader's orders?”

“It was a good plan,” said Luke, hoping it didn't sound treacherous, “The plan was delivering me to Jabba as the pilot the Empire was looking for.”

Silence.

He _was_ the pilot. 

Everyone's stomachs dropped to the floor and Luke felt it as his own.

“You agreed to that?” asked Leia. “Did Vader know the truth?”

“He didn't.”

"That was very dangerous."

Luke didn't understand why they were so focused on the past. He was alive, wasn't he? He clenched his fists under the table, forgetting that his muscles still ached. 

“I know, but please, listen. Vader couldn't come to Jabba empty-handed, so that's what we did. Vader asked Jabba for information about the kidnappings in exchange for the bounty placed on my head. Jabba agreed, but he didn't know anything about it.”

“Bold of you to trust Jabba,” said a General, crossing her arms. 

Luke wondered if she had ever dealt with Jabba to talk about him. Half of the generals were the Republic's aristocracy twenty years ago before it fell— they probably never stepped on an Outer Rim planet.

Luke frowned at his own thoughts; these people wanted the best for him and the galaxy—why was he being so cold?

“We didn't trust him. I got locked in prison and Vader rescued me. He told me that the Rebellion had a mole, so I asked General Organa to keep the base on lockdown until we arrived.”

Leia's eyes widened as she turned to face him. “He was here?” she whispered.

Luke nodded. “Yes, we had to find the mole.”

“And you did.”

“We did.”

“How?”

“I–” said Luke, and hesitated with what he was about to say, “Vader infiltrated the briefing you were holding to find her.” he said, and Leia's face changed, and for a moment Luke forgot they were surrounded by other people, “I had it all under control! You didn't even notice him, did you?”

“I would have noticed a dark menacing figure in the briefing, thank you very much. How did he even fit in? He's very recognizable.” asked Leia.

Luke squinted, preparing for what was about to come. “Ah. I might have given him new clothes to wear?” Leia stared at him. “He had to fit in! He took off his helmet and put on different clothes, that's it.”

Leia stopped breathing when she realised something. “The man I saw you with, was that him?”

Luke nodded slowly and Leia sighed. She had been this close to killing Darth Vader.

Luke continued. “The woman's name was Celissa Vanis, and she confessed to the kidnapping of Mothma but claimed to know nothing of the Emperor. We questioned her, and then he left.”

“You mean, that was before Darth Vader killed ten people?” asked a General. “Commander you were found unconscious on the floor. Was that also Vader?”

Ten people.

He allowed Vader to kill ten people.

Luke nodded slowly, unable to speak, ignoring the ache in his back. Everyone was silent and Luke found himself getting lost amid everything that had happened in less than a week. He had saved Vader's life, and what did he get in return? Corpses.

“So...we know that Celissa is behind Mothma's kidnapping, but we don't know who she worked for?” asked Bail.

“Yes, she claimed it was someone imperial. She thought it was Vader, but he wouldn't have abandoned his fleet for a lie he made up himself. He's a busy man.” explained Luke. 

One of the generals scoffed at the last word. Luke would have done the same a week ago, except now he knew Darth Vader was perhaps too human. “He's a busy man? If he didn't attack you before you arrived here, what have you been doing during all the traveling, Commander? Darth Vader isn't famous for his hospitality.” asked a General. 

Luke knew he was being accused of treason, but he couldn't deny it. His time with Vader was....weird. There was no other word he could use to describe it. Any expectations he had on Darth Vader, the man crushed them in less than an hour.

“I haven't disclosed any confidential information, and neither did he. We didn't interact much,” he lied, “but when we did, it was to discuss the mission at hand and nothing else. It's not like neither of us wanted to speak to each other.”

 _Lies_.

The General eyed him up and down and Luke, for the first time, felt distrust coming from everyone except the Organas.

Bail spoke. “So, that leaves us with our only suspect in hands of the Empire, and we still do not know the location of General Mothma.”

Luke nodded, and Bail turned to look at him. “Luke, let me apologize. I shouldn't have sent you to work with him. He is too unpredictable."

Luke frowned. “He is unpredictable, trust me, but he's also very self-aware. From the days I was away I've learnt a thing or two about him.”

Wrong thing to say.

“Oh, so you're friends now?” said Leia in cold sarcasm, disappointment slipping through her teeth. 

Bail gave her a look. "Tell us everything. Any information about the man currently leading the galaxy is useful to us."

Luke didn't even know where to start. “First of all, he's not a cyborg,” he said, and some eyes widened. Leia looked at him icily. “He's very impulsive and always on the verge of a tantrum, he's careless and doesn't care about himself...” he said, and Vader's face on the verge of death on Tatooine came to his mind. Luke let it go, it was of no use to him now. 

“It's as if he was constantly choosing which mask he would wear that hour, not literally, I mean. He maintains this façade that is Darth Vader, but when he's busy with something it's as if there was somebody else inside.”

Leia frowned. “You're describing him as if he was human. But his actions don't deserve the humanity you're giving him.”

Luke knew she was right, but he was still interested in the strategic genius that hid behind the persona of Darth Vader. Perhaps he should tell them more about him, but he realised he didn't want to.

Leia spoke. “We don't know what he's going to do with Vanis. If she cracks, he will have the location of Mothma and I don't think he will bring her back as a gift. As soon as our scanners secure the area we will begin attack and try to bring Vanis back.”

“If she's still alive, that is.” said Bail Organa glumly.

Leia nodded in agreement, but Luke was shivering. “An attack? Now?”

“Yes, why?” blinked Leia. Attacks were normal in their choice of life, Luke himself had commandeered hundreds of them against the Empire, but now this was personal. He understood how Vader's mind worked, and how much it had burnt him, but he still wanted to learn more. 

“Who's in command?” he asked.

“Well, you. If you're okay with it.” said Leia.

Luke nodded and left the room. He needed to think. He put his shields high enough to disappear in the Force. 

* * *

**TWO HOURS BEFORE — COLD METAL IN SPACE WHERE ALL THE DEAD SOULS GO TO;**

**The Supreme Commander's Flagship;** **The Executor, that amid all the chaos,**

**still has _some_ living officers left.**

Darth Vader stood on the bridge of the Executor. Admiral Piett approached him tiredly. “My Lord, I have just received an update from the prisoner.”

Vader turned around, hands clasped behind his back. “She survived? Impressive.” he said curiously, and Piett just blinked once. The black mask stared at him impassively, and Piett couldn't ignore the stares from the other officers. It was better to leave Vader alone, especially since the deaths aboard the flagship had grown since his return.

“Yes, my Lord, and she has a message for you,” he stated, and Vader raised an eyebrow inside the mask, “She said she could find the rebel pilot responsible for the Death Star, sir.”

Vader rolled his eyes. “I do not want the pilot. Bounty hunters are already looking for him. We must search for the Emperor, not the rebel.”

Piett blinked. “What message shall I send back, my Lord?”

Vader thought about it. Perhaps if she exhausted herself in the search for the rebel pilot she would confess where Sidious was, even if the Force screamed at him that she truly didn't know. But if she was offering her services to play police, he wouldn't refuse.

“I accept her offer. Appoint an ISB officer to follow her. If escapes, execute her for treason.”

"Very well, my Lord.” said Piett, walking away.

Vader turned back to keep staring at the stars and found his mind oddly empty, as if his connection to the Force had weakened.

Vader grunted loudly and clenched his fists, and the Executor initiated their jump to the Hoth system. Intelligence confirmed the existence of a rebel base in the planet and he hoped if this base was destroyed the attacks would stop.

No one except the Force could sense Vader's growing exhaustion in hunting the Rebellion. It was an itch he couldn't scratch, and if he could assign someone else to the task, he would, but only the Emperor had that power.

He knew Sidious would punish him for taking so long to rescue him. He might even blame _him_ for the security issues that got him kidnapped in the first place. Truth be told, Vader didn't know if he would even survive Sidious' anger, but maybe the complete eradication of the Rebellion would ease his Master's spirits.

They arrived to Hoth two and a half hours later, and several squadrons flew out of the flagship. Vader stayed in the bridge and watched the battle explosions silently. The screams of death in the Force were already so common to him that he stopped hearing them altogether.

The last rebel ship got hit and the planet's gravity pulled it in. Vader blinked and managed to see the small ship become a small dot amid the brightness of Hoth. 

The rebels were losing.

Finally.

He sighed tiredly and realised he was staring at the planet. His vision became unfocused and he mentally made a map of the remaining rebel bases across the galaxy that the Empire was aware of: Primtara, Durkteel—

He couldn't breathe.

Atollon, Talrezan Four, Datar—

He was hyperventilating.

Entus, Mygeeto, Randa—

The helmet got too claustrophobic and his clothes felt too tight. He inhaled deeply but found that his lungs weren't working. In panic he reached out into the Force, trying to grasp any danger, but found none.

At least not in the bridge, not even in the Executor.

It was outside. 

He walked closer to the viewport, trying to see if anything had just dropped out of hyperspace, but there was only Hoth.

Had he been poisoned? Was it the air? He turned around to see if any officers were having difficulty breathing, but everybody was okay. Perhaps this was the day the Force would kill him. It had saved his life so many times, even when he didn't want it to— the perfect revenge was upon him. How many lives had he taken by strangulation, he wondered. 

Vader let go and all his shields came crumbling down. The Force splashed him entirely and he could breathe a bit, however—

There was something else. 

The Force was yelling and exploding stars in havoc. It was barely containing itself from tearing the flagship to pieces, him included. 

He took a deep breath and listened to it. 

The Force did not say anything, it did not show him anything, but it was grieving. Vader smelt burnt metal and gasoline, and he allowed the Force to take control of his body, especially because he knew if he didn't, it might try to choke him again. 

He could breathe but his body movements were still restricted. The Force dragged his eyes to Hoth and on the small dot suspended in its atmosphere. 

It yelled at Vader and shook the flagship, and Vader knew he had to see it for himself, whatever it was. If the Force deemed it important enough to startle _him_ , of all people, then it must be important.   
  
Vader stormed out of the bridge in direction of his personal hangar, the Force squeaking in his ear like nails on glass. The smoke inside his helmet was getting insufferable, so when he was inside his TIE fighter he took it off.

The smell was unbearable, but there was no smoke inside. He inhaled deeply and still choked on the smell.

The officers couldn't even contact Vader to ask why he left mid battle and who was in command now, because he was already in Hoth's atmosphere. The closer he got to where the Force was pointing him at, the hotter the cockpit of his TIE Fighter felt. 

When the heat was no longer tolerable, he flew away to put some distance, but the Force urged him to keep going. A few minutes later, in between the clouds and the snow, he saw it.

After the smoke, the gasoline, the choking and _this_ , Vader was sure he had gone mad. 

A burnt X-Wing was unnaturally hanging in the air, held by invisible strings. It had a missing wing and the Force surrounded it, keeping it afloat. He felt like he was staring at the sun. Vader frowned in disbelief and wanted to fly around to inspect what was left of it, but he didn't have the time.

The Force let the ship go.

Vader gripped the controls and followed it down, unsure of what he was supposed to do. He watched the ship crash from a calculated distance, and had used the Force to steady the ship as much as he could. It landed on a deep pile of snow, as he predicted. 

Vader landed clumsily nearby, hands shaking. He inhaled cold Hoth air but still smelt smoke as if his own hands were burning. He fell knees deep into the snow and summoned the Force to jump towards the crashed ship.

For so much fuss it better be Sidious.

He used the Force to push the snow out of the ship. It was destroyed and burnt from the atmosphere and not a part could be used for scrap. But something else caught his attention, and it was the blurriness of the cockpit.

Smoke.

He jumped to the ship's nose and lifted the glass. All the smoke came out and he coughed, using his cloak to cover his nose. 

His hands were shaking as the smoke continued to dissipate. He saw something outrageously orange peak through and bent down to get the person out. This entire day had already been crazy enough, what was saving another rebel's corpse to him?

It was not a corpse.

Vader looked at the hands he was holding and paled. He continued pulling until he saw familiar blond hair and a face.

He stopped. The smoke had completely dissipated and he could breathe, even if his nose was red and starting to run from the sudden change in temperature. A cold rush of wind covered his hair in snow and he squinted.

"Commander?" he whispered. He dropped Luke's hands and his body fell back towards the seat. He looked very dead to Vader, but the small rise of his chest proved otherwise. 

Vader stared at him for what felt like ages and carefully took Luke out of the cockpit, carrying him in his arms, and walked through the thick snow towards his own ship. 

He entered his TIE, took his black gloves off and put his organic hand to Luke's front, reaching into the Force to see what was wrong. The initial touch felt electrifying, but Vader ignored it. Inside Luke's mind he was hit with a severe headache and a lot of back pain, as well as an agonising ache in his muscles. 

It could be worse, much worse.

Vader wondered what was his role in all of this: the Commander wasn't his responsibility. Had he not listened to the Force, Ben Starkiller would have died, and Vader would have cared less.

He looked at the boy tiredly, at his pale face and snow-covered hair. The boy looked too young to be involved in any of this. 

Vader sat down on the pilot seat with Luke on his lap, with his head leaning against the glass. Vader cursed the tight space and took a deep breath. He had the body of an unconscious rebel Commander, he could take him to prison and execute him. He had cancelled the truce long ago. 

Vader took off and followed the activity he felt through the Force, where he suspected the rebel base was. The scenery was all snow, so Vader looked at the Commander. He was breathing slowly and his gaze was furrowed, and Vader concentrated on his presence. It was anxious, and slowly coming back to reality, but when Starkiller's presence unconsciously found Vader's, the boy felt fear. 

After twenty minutes, the explosions through the Force were getting louder and Vader finally saw a battle in the horizon, as well as something resembling a base. As soon as he approached it, the pannel beeped. “Lord Vader, we were informed you would be on the Executor, sir.”

“Change of plans.” he grunted angrily, looking at Starkiller with disgust, his unmasked voice sounding dangerously close to the mechanized one.

“Very well, sir.” said the imperial pilot, used to Vader's shenanigans, “Do we still proceed with the attack?”

Vader sighed and stretched his fingers out. He looked at Starkiller and felt his physical pain as if it was his own, but the quantity of rebel ships was very small. The Empire could win this battle and destroy the base. It would be a great victory and a step closer to eradicating the Rebellion once and for all, but…

The boy groaned in pain and briefly came back to consciousness but didn't open his eyes. 

Damn it.

“The battle is over, retreat.”

“But sir–”

“This is an order.” he barked.

“Yes, Lord Vader.”

He landed the ship and put his mask back on. He hoped the rebels would be busy scanning the unexpected retreat and wouldn't pick up on his ship.

He took Luke in his arms and jumped out. The base was all snow, and he squirmed at how unsafe it was. He walked through narrow tunnels of nothing but snow and felt the Commander shiver, and he saw how his skin had grown paler and his lips were turning blue. 

The Force whispered things Vader didn't understand.

The base was deserted because all the rebels were gathered in command center, so Vader had no other choice but going there, hoping the casualties would be small. They wouldn't shoot him if he had the Commander.

He walked for a few more minutes, guided only by the Force, and heard a large group of people talking. He entered the room and everyone raised their blasters at them, ready to shoot.

Leia raised her blaster too, but as soon as she saw Luke she shouted at them to hold back. 

Vader held Luke's head carefully and looked around the room. “He is injured.” he stated loudly enough for everyone to hear. People frowned and tightened their grip on their weapons.

“You womp rat! What did you do to him?!” shouted Han, about to walk to him, but Leia stopped him.

Vader thought about it. He couldn't disclose he saved the Commander because the Force threatened to kill him if he didn't. “I have nothing to do with this. He crashed.” 

Leia stared at the mask angrily. “What is wrong with him?!” 

“He crashed. He might have a concussion and has been unconscious for far too long,” stated Vader, “I wish no trouble at this precise minute, Princess. Take him, and I will leave.”

This was one of the strangest days of his life.

Everyone in the room thought the same.

“Is that why you called the imps to retreat?” asked Han.

 _The imps_. Vader ignored him, extending his arms. “Take him.”

Leia gestured to the closest person to Vader to take Luke, and the person approached the Sith Lord with shaking hands and took Luke from his arms, careful not to touch Vader. Leia squinted at how delicate Vader was when handing Luke over, and her frown was making her muscles ache.

Vader, on the other hand, was worried that if he dropped the Commander the Force might actually kill him. He turned around to leave.

“Wait!” shouted Leia, and Vader stopped, his hand on his lightsaber. “You have two minutes to leave the atmosphere unless you want to get shot.”

Vader ignored her and left, and everyone in the room exhaled loudly. Leia and Han rushed to Luke, who had been placed carefully on the floor, some people rubbing his hands to warm him up. “He needs a medic! Now!”

Luke was taken into someone's arms and taken out of the room, a few people following and giving Leia a nod that he would be alright. Leia sat on the floor in defeat, exhausted from the battle and Vader's unexpected visit.

Han also followed her to the floor, looking exhausted. “What the hell just happened?”

“Luke has some explaining to do, that’s what.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vader during the entirety of this chapter: [gif link](https://64.media.tumblr.com/cd66f0e2040698ed8140813a5cb86502/tumblr_inline_p2c5s3Wpjf1qea5p7_400.gifv).


	8. The Master

**“There comes a time in every life when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn to know the sound of it. Otherwise you'll never understand what it’s saying.”**   
  


**TWO MONTHS LATER — REBEL BASE**

Luke tried his hardest to ignore the sounds of the ships flying above him and how his hands itched to get inside an X-Wing. Instead, he stared at the sky from under a ship, watching the ships he had repaired fly off into battle. 

He felt a presence entering the hangar, and rolled from under the ship and stood up, wiping his hands on an oily cloth. Leia approached him, arms crossed. “You still here?”

”Yeah, Han told me to fix a thing.” he said with a fake smile.

Leia clenched her jaw. “He didn't. I just spoke to him,” she said with a sigh, “Luke, we need to talk. I know you said you're fine but the suspension is not doing you good.”

Luke looked at the ground.

“I didn't choose to be suspended from duty. As I didn't choose to be rescued by Vader either.”

That was the most bizarre day of his life. He still didn't understand why Vader rescued him. When he awoke in the medbay everyone stared at him like he had grown an extra head, and then gave him the cold shoulder. His temporal suspension came later that week when he could finally walk and face High Command.

Leia spoke. “I know, but I'm worried about you. You've repaired all the ships in the hangar at least twice, and I'm sure if I let you stay here you'll break them so you can fix them later.”

Luke forced a laugh. He had already done that. “Yeah, whatever.” he said, and rolled back under the ship.

Leia followed him and stood above him, but Luke only saw feet. “Luke, I'm sure there's something else you can do around here.”

“No, there's not. High Command doesn't trust me, and I get it, really, I do. I'm just tired of convincing them of something I didn't do.”

“Luke-”

“I'm not a traitor,” he assured tiredly, “It's absurd. They assigned me to work with Vader to find Mothma in the first place. Did they expect me not to interact with him at all?”

“No. You did all you could.” said Leia.

“Well, they don't seem convinced about it.”

“They are.”

“Then why am I not on command? Do you know how it feels hearing explosions but not being able to do anything? How many casualties have we had since I've been suspended, hm?”

Leia sighed and tapped her feet on the floor. “Don't take it out on me, you know I try to convince them to have you back, but they won't listen.”

“Yes, General.”

“Don't General me,” said Leia, “Give them time and they will come to reason, I'm sure. The Alliance needs you, whether they trust you or not.”   
  
Luke mumbled something under his breath in annoyance. A few seconds mater he heard the sound of a commlink and rolled from under the ship, staring at Leia. She had walked away to a side and was speaking in hushed tones, clearly upset.

When she came back, she crossed her arms. “High Command wants to see you.”

Luke didn't like the sound of her voice. He widened his eyes. “Now?”

”Yes. Clean up and be there in ten minutes.”

After ten minutes, Luke entered a big room and all the Generals stopped talking when they saw him. Luke sat down in an empty seat at the round table and placed his hands under his thighs. Their staring was burning him.

“So?” he asked. He didn't want to sound bitter, but he was exhausted from faking that he wasn't bothered by his suspension.

A General spoke. “We have news for you.”

Luke stopped breathing and anxiety rolled down his spine. 

“Darth Vader has just increased the bounty on the death star pilot. You stand at nine million credits now.”

The planet shivered at Luke's shock. “I see.” he said quietly. He could sense the distrust of him in the room as he could hear his own heartbeat.

“You are in danger, Commander. We don't think any bounty has ever been so high.”

Luke nodded. "I knew what I was getting myself into.” he said bitterly. Vader was a liar. He said he had no interest in finding the pilot, why now? Was he bored? Had he finally lost his mind? 

Scratch that. 

Vader had lost his mind decades ago.

The General continued. “We are telling you this because there will be an increase in imperial attacks, now that Vader wants you personally.”

“He doesn't know it’s me.”

There was silence. 

“He doesn't know it's me,” he repeated, “When I worked with him I used a fake name. I was Starkiller, not Skywalker.”

The tension in the room eased a bit. “He will increase attacks on the Alliance. He needs to retrieve you. Do you know why he changed his mind?” asked the General.

Luke looked at the floor. He had no idea what were Vader's intentions behind anything. “I don't know. His intentions weren't always transparent. He did say that he personally didn't care about finding the pilot, that it was mere paper work.”

The Generals nodded and Luke looked at Leia, but her gaze was empty. He felt something coming, and it was about to explode any moment now.

After moments of silence, the General spoke. “We have come to an agreement that your presence endangers the Alliance. Luke Skywalker, you are permanently discharged from your position as a Commander. You will leave today and the Alliance prohibits you from contacting us in any way.” 

His heart skipped a beat. 

_What?_

Luke blinked twice, forcing himself to breathe.

“The Empire will increase attacks on you and we cannot afford any more casualties.”

Luke interrupted. “All due respect, it's not my fault Vader is obsessed with finding me.” His voice was empty of emotion. He couldn't bring himself to feel anything.

“The decision has been made. We can do nothing else.” affirmed the General impassively. 

”I see.” he brought himself to say without enthusiasm. Luke had had enough. He nodded curtly and left the room, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone else. Leia stood up to follow him but Bail stopped her.

His knees gave in once he was far away. He wanted to scream and run, but he felt powerless even to move. Leaving the Alliance wouldn't erase the bounty on his head, quite the contrary — now he was without the protection of the Alliance.

He was on his own now. 

The realisation made him explode with all the pent up regret and anger from the past two months. 

Back inside the room, the Generals shivered at the sudden coldness in the base. The planet shook for a few seconds, causing some dams to break. Luke walked away, wiping the tears with his sleeve and ignoring the people's stares. He didn't know where he was going, but he needed to be alone.  
  
On the other side of the galaxy, Darth Vader lowered his red lightsaber and looked at the sky, ignoring the screams of the people and focusing on the disturbance.

* * *

Luke opened his eyes and thought he was on a planet that resembled Tatooine. Jabba's palace was far away and there was a ship behind him. 

The Force was stronger than he remembered in the desert, and it was calling him. He walked for hours, painfully aware of something following him, until he reached a part of the desert a few miles from Anchorhead. He could recognise the place by smell alone.

Luke sat down in the sand, watching as his aunt and uncle's corpses burnt. The farm was never there, it was just sand and a bleak horizon he could never reach. The smoke was silent and odourless, and Luke wondered if staring at them would bring them back to life. The idea of his uncle seeing him now, as an outcast, as a lone wanderer, as the most wanted man in the galaxy made him smile in sadness. 

However, his smile faded when Luke felt a different type of energy to his own approaching him from behind. He turned around and saw a dark figure covered in smoke that didn't stray far from its epicentre. 

“Why are you here?” asked Luke calmly.

The shadow sat down next to him, the sand shifting beneath it. “You brought me here.”

The voice was half-distorted and half-human, merely a whisper, but somehow it was all Luke could hear. 

He took a deep breath and inhaled Tatooine's salty air. “You followed me.” said Luke, watching passively as the corpses attempted to move. He had had this dream before: the corpses would move and scream for his help, and Luke had tried helping them hundreds of times, but they kept dying all over again.

The shadow sat silent next to him, motionless. “What is this place?”

Luke clenched his jaw. “My family. When I'm asleep I appear here, but I'm not sure why.”  
  
He felt the shadow's gentle understanding. “It pains you.” 

Luke scoffed. “Why do you care?”

The shadow tilted its head to look at him. “You are interesting,” it said, and the sand echoed the words, “You are not a Sith nor a Jedi. I do not know what to make of you.”

Luke was so tired. He wished he didn't have such a strong connection to the Force so he could get some sleep. But no, the Force had to show him visions, or whatever this was. 

Yet the shadow's understanding bothered him. The creature wasn't good, it smelled like rotten flesh and stung from regret— yet it understood him. It was enough.

“Why should you make anything of me at all? For all I know, I'm dreaming. You're not real.”

The shadow was silent, and when the wind hit them both, the smoke around it engulfed Luke for some seconds. Even in the middle of the desert, he felt cold. 

They sat and watched the corpses crawl silently. Luke's emotions at the scene had faded years ago, now it was just repetitive. He had grieved them; it was over.

The shadow stared silently, occasionally glancing at Luke, who was shivering. After the corpses gave up and died, as they always did, the shadow spoke.

“For the longest time I wished to kill you. I am not sure I want to anymore.” 

The cold stopped for some seconds and Luke could swear he saw a hand reaching out to him, but it faded fast. The dark veil of smoke was on again.

Luke smirked bitterly. “Then why haven't you done so, Lord Vader?”

His soul always knew it was him, instinctively, but now his brain had practical evidence. 

The shadow tensed. “Until I decide what to do with you or one of us dies, our connection will remain open. It is the will of the Force.”

“You don't own me and you won't do anything with me. You don't even know where I am.”

“The Emperor will find you soon enough.” 

“Is he still gone?” asked Luke. He didn't like how easily he spoke with the man that had ruined his life in only three months. 

“Yes, but he will feel our connection. I cannot hide this from my Master.”

“Why do you call him Master?” wondered Luke, “You're the second in command to the Empire, he doesn't own you.” 

The shadow let some acid slip on the sand but Luke didn't even flinch. He was used to this happening around Vader. “You do not understand what you speak of.”

“Of course I do. I'm from Tatooine, I've seen a great deal of slavery, and if you have the privilege of not being owned you shouldn't call anyone Master. But of course, you do as you wish, Lord Vader. You always do.” he said, not caring about Vader attacking him because they were probably millions of light years away. “Did Celissa say reveal anything?” asked Luke.

“No. The search has proved ineffective in the Core and Outer Rim.”

“What about the unexplored territories? They are inhabited. I don't think they even know what the Empire is.”

“They do not. The Empire does not have interest in conquering abandoned planets with no natural resources.”

“A good place to hide the Emperor.”

The shadow was silent. “Why are you still helping me? It will only get worse for you when he returns.”

The elephant in the room was stomping on Luke. “And why did _you_ help me in Hoth?”

The shadow didn't answer.

”I could have died. Me being alive is only an inconvenience to you now,” continued Luke, “I was told that if I hadn't been brought in I would have died from the cold. So tell me, _why_?”

The shadow shifted uncomfortably on the sand covered with acid and melted ice. “I had to. The Force called me to your ship.”

Luke pulled his knees closer to him and didn't think his situation could get any worse. At least now he knew Vader didn't do it to ruin him.

He responded to the last question. “I want the Emperor to be found so things go back to normal. We both have a war to fight, and perhaps if it ends, _this_ ,” he said, pointing a finger back and forth between them, “will also end.”

The shadow shivered. “Where are you, Commander? I sense your unease.”

Luke snorted. “I'm not telling you that.”

“I have no interest in the Rebellion.”  
  
Hypocrite. 

The weather around them changed drastically and the shadow became cautious. The wind was starting to pick up speed around them and the shadow looked at Luke, who was staring at the ground with an angry frown on his face. The gravity around him was pulling Vader in. 

“Oh,” said Luke sarcastically, “Last time you said that I woke up and Darth Vader had killed a bunch of people on his way out of the base.” he said, mocking him.

“Do not expect me to apologize, those traitors–”

Luke interrupted. “I don't think you're capable of that.” he said bitterly. 

“I could have done much worse, Commander. I certainly would have if you weren't there.”

The wind stopped.

Luke barked something similar to a cough. “I'm sorry, what?” he said, turning around to face the shadow, feeling his feet sinking deep into the sand. “What was that? Didn't you want me dead?” 

The shadow turned to look behind them and found a tornado approaching. It seemed that the Commander's gravity wasn't only affecting him. “You must be cooperative if this is to work.”

Luke stood up and towered over the shadow. It hadn't moved, but Luke felt eyes on him.

“There is no _this,_ Lord Vader! If I have to stay awake all the time just not to see you ever again, that's what I will do.” said Luke, clenching his fists by his side. 

“It will not work.” said the shadow, too tired to fight.

“Then how do I get rid of you?” asked Luke.

The shadow turned around again and saw that the tornado was dangerously close. If this was real, they wouldn't be able to hear each other. Now however, they were the only people on Tatooine and all other sounds were muted. 

“What is wrong, Commander?”

Luke laughed. What wasn't?

He wanted to tell how much Vader had ruined his life, but he didn't want to give him that pleasure. “You're impossible!”

The tornado behind was starting to darken the sky. The shadow was getting nervous and some yellow lightning was coming off of him.

“Commander, I don't care about you. But if you don't find some resemblance of peace right now the storm will hit us both. Waking up will not be a pleasant experience for you.” He didn't add that to him, waking up was never a pleasant experience. His own nightmares were far worse than this.

Luke frowned and looked ahead. There was a tornado coming at them. He took a deep breath and ignored the shadow below him.

The tornado slowly disappeared and the sky was cloudy again. He crossed his arms and dug his feet in the sand. “Why are we both dreaming the same thing?”

“Neither you nor I are dreaming. We are in the Force. What were you doing before you appeared here?”

“Still trying to get answers out of me? I'm not telling you.”

“I repeat myself if it isn't clear, I do not care about you, but if you keep dragging me into your nightmares I will have no choice but to terminate them, or you.”

Luke sighed. “You're really pleasant to talk to. Has anybody told you that?”

“Enough.”

“What will you do? Throw sand at me? I'm already ruined!” exclaimed Luke. His anger caused the suns to set. The sky was a dark purple color now.

“Are you dying?”

This man was ridiculous.

”No.”

Luke didn't know what to say. Even if he wasn't part of the Alliance anymore he wouldn't bond with Vader. He decided to change topics. “I've heard you raised the bounty on the pilot behind the death star.”

The shadow sensed something coming from that statement and became suspicious. He decided to procede with caution. “Yes, it is pressing that they are found.”

“I thought you said you didn't care.”

“I care that the Rebellion is destroyed. If sending bounty hunters is what it takes, then I will increase the bounty whatever necessary.”

The Empire wasn't directly onto him yet, that was good. Luke could work with that.

The shadow stared at him curiously from the ground. “Why do you ask, Commander? Have the news reached your superiors yet?”

Oh, they have reached them enough. “Yes. It has caused quite the scandal, congratulations.” said Luke sarcastically.

“You don't appear as defensive of your Rebellion as you were before. Have you finally realized their corruption?”

“No. Don't you have planets to terrorize?” asked Luke, crossing his arms.

“Terrorizing planets is not my job.”

“What do you want, then?”  
  
The shadow was silent and Luke watched the smoke move around the dark silhouette, shaken by the wind. The shadow grew taller but didn't move. Luke took a step back instinctively. 

“Commander, I am offering you a job–“

“No. The answer is no.”

The suns suddenly set and it was night. The sky was clear with a full moon, but it was too cold for Tatooine. 

The shadow paused. “You don't even know what it is.”

Luke took a step closer, angrily staring at a veil of black smoke and ice. The shadow didn't flinch nor move, but the smoke's speed slowed down. The shadow was listening.   
  
From this close distance, Vader could see that Luke's eyes were dancing between blue and orange, and he shivered. The moon made the colors glow and swim around the pupil like magma.

Ben Starkiller looked like a deathly weapon, its executioner, and its victim. He hid a lot of pain behind his kind exterior, and Vader wondered if the boy even knew how much hate he carried inside. 

Luke leaned closer until the cold smoke made his skin shiver. “How's your memory? You killed my father,” he whispered slowly in disgust. Vader couldn't stop staring at this majestic creature. “I don't want anything to do with you. If I could cut this bond forever and forget you exist, I would do it at this precise second.”

Luke took a step back and turned around, facing the full moon and closing his eyes. They burnt his lids.

The shadow spoke. “You do as you wish, but my offer still stands. If some day you get over your petty vengeance and prioritize your future, then find me.”   
  
Bastard.

Luke felt a cold breeze hit his back and turned around to give Vader a piece of his mind, but there was no one. Where the shadow had stood, there was only a puddle of melted water and discoloured sand from the acid. Only the solitude of the Tatooine mountains stared back at him, and Luke screamed.


	9. Haunted House

**"How vacuous was I? How empty was I that I needed a border drawn by someone else to tell me who I was?"**

  
Luke promised himself to train harder in the Force to avoid more accidental connections with Vader. He couldn't avoid the Force, it flowed through him, it was part of him— but he might be able to avoid Vader. 

Or so he hoped.

Three months ago, he didn't have this problem. He wouldn't even have dreamed of having this problem. No one in their right mind would.

After his confusing Force dream, he went to talk to Han. He wouldn't reveal that he was still connected to Vader, or that he had been connected to him at all, but he needed to talk to someone who wasn't strictly involved with the Alliance.

Han had a notorious reputation because he never stayed in one place for too long. The only constant thing in his life was Chewbacca, and Luke was sure that Han only stayed in the Alliance because he cared about him. 

And maybe Leia. 

He didn't want to intrude on the last one.

When Luke found him in the hangar, repairing the Falcon, and told him that he had to leave the Alliance that night because he got kicked out, Han almost blew up the ship by pouring a flammable liquid in the wrong place. It took Luke an hour to convince Chewie and him not to storm into High Command's rooms and insult them for their decision. They almost did.

They also didn't hesitate to let Luke join them before he could figure out what to do next. Deep down Luke knew it was a distraction to avoid facing the ugly reality, but it was also a way to keep out of the Empire's claws now that the bounty on his head had been raised. If there was anyone in the galaxy that could outsmart the Empire, it was Han Solo. 

That same night Luke stared at the hangar one last time before boarding the Falcon. He looked at his X-Wing longingly, wondering if he would ever see it again, but repressed the thoughts. 

“Luke, we need to go.”

Luke nodded and turned around, knowing that it was better not to look back. This part of his life was over, but that didn't mean he had to stop fighting for what he considered was right. He might not be with the Rebellion anymore, but he was still a rebel. 

He followed Han to the cockpit, where Chewbacca was already starting the engines, and sat down behind him. 

They were going to Vogel for a contact who had a job for Han. Luke was familiar with Han's work from his stories, but experiencing it first hand wasn't something he was interested in. Mainly because Han's work often ended in getting captured, imprisoned or sentenced to death.

Luke would have to get used to it. Someday a bounty hunter would find him, and if he wasn't ready— he would die. 

They entered hyperspace moments after. Luke exhaled and watched the ship swim through the light, finally gaining some calmness, but he suddenly sensed Han's unease at his presence.

Apparently the elephant in the room followed Luke everywhere he went. He had talked about Vader more in the last two months than he had talked about himself.

“So…” mumbled Han, turning around to look at Luke. “Listen, the Rebellion isn't everything in the galaxy. You can still do good things without 'em.”

“Do you trust me, Han?” asked Luke. He needed to get this out of the way. If Han didn't trust him after everything that happened with Vader, Luke wouldn't blame him. He wouldn't trust himself either.

The Alliance didn't trust him, so why should Han?

Han stared at him in sadness. “Of course I do, and I know why you think that I shouldn't, but let me tell you this: it all depends on the point of view—”

Chewbacca roared.

Han looked at him, offended. “I am not a philosopher, keep your comments to yourself!” he protested, and then addressed Luke again, “It all depends on the point of view. I know you'd never sympathize with _him,_ and everything that happened on Coruscant and Hoth wasn't your fault. High Command decided to look at the general point of view: Vader knows you and that's dangerous for them, but they don't know _you_. Hell, when you walked out that meeting you looked like you'd rather chop off your leg than leave the Alliance. A traitor wouldn't look so...miserable.”

Luke deadpanned. “You saw me?”

”Yeah, Chewie and I called out for you. You didn't hear us.”

Luke remembered how much his senses had weakened after he left the meeting. From how upset he was he couldn't even feel the Force, let alone use his hearing. ”Sorry about that,” he apologised. Luke knew he had nothing to apologise for, but the death of the people that Vader killed on Coruscant still hung on his conscience. He could apologise forever.

”Also he's not that scary,” he blurted out and Chewbacca turned to stare at him. “Darth Vader, I mean. He's dangerous, everyone knows that but...he's not _that_ scary. I think you'd get along with him.”

Wrong thing to say. 

“I'd rather not, thanks.” said Han sarcastically. “So, what's he like then?” 

Luke looked at the ground and snorted. “He's unbelievable,” he said, shaking his head, “I really don't know how a man with such a temper controls the Imperial fleet. But he's smart in the way that you feel like he's ten steps ahead of you. He also doesn't know how to talk to people, at all. He looks like each time he breathes he thinks of murdering you or something.”

“What do you mean _look_? He's not a cyborg?” asked Han. 

Luke laughed. “No, he's human.” Han made a face. “As human as it gets, Han.”

“And how old is he, like sixty?” asked Han.

“No, late forties probably.”

Han blinked. “You know that you're the only person that has seen him without the mask, right?”

There it was again, thought Luke, Darth Vader was so important that anyone that survived an encounter with him had to live with the conscience that they made it out alive. And Luke had not only made it out alive, but Vader had also saved his life and hadn't tried to kill him.

For some stupid reason, he had attacked him, he had lied to him, he had rendered him unconscious— but he wasn't dead, at least not yet. How many people that crossed Vader could say that?

Luke shivered and decided to drop the topic. Speaking Vader's name might summon him.

They arrived to Vogel a few hours later and landed in front of an abandoned Separatist factory. Han gave him a blaster and Luke accepted it reluctantly, feeling his lightsaber's weight on the inner pocket of his jacket. He never used it unless strictly necessary, and he swore not to use it ever again after he saw what Vader was capable of doing with one. 

He looked around while they walked towards the abandoned factory. They were in the outskirts of a city, walking on dirty asphalt. “Who are we looking for exactly?”

“A Cerean woman, looks like she could kill you.” said Han.

Luke protested. “How specific.”

Han stopped walking and turned to face him. “I mean it. I don't take jobs from her because if you fail, it gets bad. You don't want to get on her bad side, trust me.” Luke wanted to laugh at the irony, and Han caught it too. “Yeah no, she's _much_ worse than Vader.”

“Are you scared?” asked Luke.

“Of her? Always, but let's go. I don't want to keep her waiting.”

Luke wondered what kind of job was waiting for them and why Han took it, but he supposed that they wouldn't always have a choice. They entered the abandoned factory and Luke looked up. The ceilings were tall but the place was relatively empty.

"Ah, Han Solo."  
  
In front of them stood a tall Cerean woman, arms crossed, surrounded by humans with guns. 

Han vowed curtly. "Ma'am."

The Cerean woman looked him up and down before her eyes landed on Luke. "Who's that? Where's the Wookie?"

"Guarding the ship." answered Han.

She didn't buy it but chose not to comment on that. "I got a deal with the King of Tammuz-an to get this datapad personally delivered to him."

Han extended his hand. 

"Not so fast. I had to get past imperial security to get this. You can only imagine how valuable the information is."

Han didn't dare blink. "Yes ma'am."

"Make sure to deliver it to the king personally and somewhere private. If it slips or someone sees it, pray that the imperials around the palace kill you before I find you."

Han nodded fast. 

"Is that understood, Solo? Say it."

Han swallowed. "Yes ma'am."

"Good. He said to deliver it by tomorrow at max, so get going.” she said, and a human handed Han the datapad in a locked container. "Find me in my usual spot in Taris for when you're finished."

"Yes ma'am. I won't fail you."

She nodded and turned to leave, but her eyes landed on Luke. "Who were you again?"

"The copilot, ma'am." said Luke seriously, hands behind his back.

The beginnings of a smirk appeared on her face but faded quickly. "What's your name?"

"Ben Starkiller."

She blinked in surprise. "You also a rebel?"

Luke could feel the danger in the room and how her guards tightened their grips on their guns. "No, ma'am. I work with Solo sometimes. But not a rebel, no."

"Good. I thought you might be the pilot everyone is searching for. Also a rebel."

Luke's eyelid twitched for the hundredth time that day. "What?" he asked, choking on air, but still maintaining his seriousness. 

"Oh come on, all smugglers know it."

"Know what?" he asked politely, ignoring how his heart was beating inside his ears.

"The pilot that blew up that imperial Death Star. Never seen it myself but considering the price of the bounty it must have been damn well important.”  
  
Luke nodded.

”No one can find the damn pilot though, and the imps only want them presently— they won't even accept a name!" she laughed, and Luke smiled politely, "Everyone will give up. The pilot is hard to track down and the Rebellion is inaccessible, trust me, I tried,” she said, and then addressed Han, "Except for him. I have no idea what he does there. He could have the pilot tomorrow in imperial custody and nine million credits in his pocket but for some reason he's still...well, _here_."

"He could indeed." said Luke coldly.

Han looked at him, worried, and Luke stared back at him. 

“You don't happen to know this pilot?” she asked casually. 

Luke answered, gaze steady on Han. “No, I don't. Wish I did though, the bastard would be caught by tomorrow.” he said seriously, still staring at Han. 

”Oh!” she exclaimed, and laughed, “I like this kid, Solo! Bring him around more often, will you?”

Han gulped when Luke squinted at him as he looked back at his employer. “Will try to ma'am.” he said charismatically, bowing down. 

They left the factory in silence and Luke stormed into the Falcon, looking over his shoulder to see that they weren't being followed. As soon as Chewbacca asked how it went, Luke exploded.

"You could have told me the entire criminal world was after me!" he exclaimed.

Han raised his hands in the air, but Luke knew it was an act. He was worried, too. "I thought you knew this already, and I didn't want you to worry! You already had enough on your plate and I didn't want to–"

"Enough on my plate? You mean the two months I spent doing absolutely nothing?" asked Luke.

"No, I mean when Vader showed up."

Luke laughed and the ship grew colder in matter of milliseconds. " _You knew since then?!_ "

Han opened his mouth like a fish, but no words came out. "A bit earlier than that actually. A bounty hunter asked me if I knew anything about the pilot, I told her to go to hell, but she wasn't the first one to ask about you."

“About _me_?” asked Luke, eyes wide.

”Well, not you _you_ , the pilot. You.” 

Luke walked around to put some distance between them, taking deep breaths. "How did you even find out?" he asked.

Han looked at him guiltily. "I have my contacts, and you know Chewie and I are on and off with jobs–"

Chewbacca interrupted to say that he didn't want to be involved in this. Han looked at him, offended. "Damn yes you are involved! You knew about this too!"

Luke sighed loudly. He ignored the feelings of betrayal that sprung within him. In less than twenty-four hours his life had changed drastically; yesterday he was the posterboy of the Alliance, their best Commander, and now he was the galaxy's most wanted criminal. 

Luke felt like none of those things. 

He felt nothing.

Han continued. "In one job we ran into an old acquaintance and she told us about a new bounty that the Empire put out, four million credits. We asked what it was about, and she said it was about the pilot."

Luke shut his eyes. He didn't care how Han found out about the seriousness of the situation. He was processing that he was already dead. "Do you know that as soon as Vader learns it's me, or learns my surname, I'm _dead_?" he asked slowly.

Han froze. "Why?" he whispered.

Luke laughed, close to hysteria. "My father was a Jedi! They're traitors to the Empire. I'll be executed for the Death Star first, for being a rebel second and then for being the son of a Jedi. Vader will be delighted! I might as well just find him now and tell him it's me."

"Kid, I'm–"

"Don't say you're sorry. Don't pity me, I don't want it," he said icily, and Han took a step back, "Let's just get the job done." he said, already regretting his outburst. As soon as he calmed down he realised that the temperature inside the Falcon had dropped several degrees, and took a deep breath to get it back to normal.

His safest option was finding a cave on the other side of the galaxy and staying there until the galaxy left him for dead. 

Or until Vader found him first.

He didn't know which one was worse.

*** * *  
  
**

The flight to Tammuz-an would take over a day, yet Luke refused to sleep. He hadn't told Han he was still connected to Vader because that would make him even more dangerous, and he didn't want more weight on his shoulders. He managed to take some naps in between, but his body always awoke him before he could fall asleep properly. 

Luke sat alone in the cockpit, legs up the panel, staring at hyperspace. His lids closed on instinct, and his head fell to his shoulder...

It would be so easy, but...

_Danger._

Luke opened his eyes seconds before the ship started shaking. Han immediately appeared next to him.

Luke startled. "What's wrong?!”

"Something is following us through hyperspace." said Han, and Chewbacca joined him in co-pilot. They dropped out of hyperspace and turned the ship around. Another ship dropped out of hyperspace and began shooting at them, and Han groaned. 

"It's always pirates! _Damn it_!"

Luke was _so_ tired. Had he been more awake, he would have processed the situation differently. Perhaps he would have gone to the guns to shoot, but now all he could do was stare at the stars. There weren't much in this part of the galaxy, how had he never noticed?

"What do pirates want with you now?" he asked, tiredly.

”That _is_ the question! What do they _not_ want with me!” shouted Han over the turbulence.

The ship flew all over the place and Luke gripped the seat. Chewbacca told him he had an idea and Han looked at him like he was crazy.

"I ain't landing there buddy! Think of something else!” he shouted.

Chewbacca insisted.

"I'm wanted in Vondarc, you know that! If I land there and they intercept the ship, I'm _dead_!" shouted Han and Luke frowned. He would have to ask Han if there was any system where he wasn't wanted for crimes. 

Chewbacca didn't listen to Han and began the descend towards the planet's atmosphere, hoping to lose the pirates in the storm. 

Han turned to Luke. "Are they following us?!"

Luke frowned. "How am I supposed to–! _Oh_." He reached out into the Force and saw that they were alone, and the planet below felt deserted. Usually when he was in the atmosphere of a planet he could begin to feel lifeforms or any other source of energy, but now everything was empty. "They're not following us, it's like they disappeared. This is very weird, we should leave. I don't like this place."

Han glared at Chewbbaca. " _See_? Even _he_ doesn't like this place and he's a Jedi! Listen to him!"  
  
"I'm not a Jed-!" protested Luke but was cut off by the panel lights flickering.

They got hit.

The descend towards Vondarc was rough and they almost crashed. Chewbbaca landed them in an empty asphalted clear and left to check if the ship was damaged. Luke leaned closer to Han's seat. "Care to tell me why you're wanted in Vondarc?"

Han clenched his jaw. "The Krawg pirates do not forgive." he said seriously, and Luke laughed.

"What did you do?" he asked. 

Han looked grim. "You'll sleep better if you don't know, trust me."

Luke made a face. He didn't understand how High Command made this man a Captain, but again, the Alliance didn't have any criteria to join. ”Fine but–“

Luke saw a group of people approaching, but before he could react the cockpit window shattered and they were stunned on the floor.

All he saw before his eyes closed was Han mumbling that he knew Vondarc was haunted.   
  


*** * ***

"Solo."

Luke heard voices from afar but couldn't move. He opened his eyes slowly, aware of his throbbing headache and cringed at the dull fluorescent yellow lights. He was on the floor, his hands tied behind his back in a knot, overlooking an empty warehouse. He inhaled but coughed when the dust got into his lungs. 

The Force was eerily calm. He sat down and shook to feel if his lightsaber was still in his jacket— it was. Luke sighed and took a deep breath. If he did this wrong, he would lose his hands. 

He used the Force to levitate the lightsaber out of his jacket and placed it on the ground. This action took most of his energy, so he paused to take a deep breath. If this planet was more Force-sensitive friendly this action wouldn't take so much of his time.

The lightsaber activated and sent the dust on the floor flying all over the place, some of it landing on the weapon and evaporating. Luke moved his body so the knot around his wrists was in contact with the weapon. 

One wrong move and he would lose his hands. 

Where the _hell_ was Han? 

He looked across his shoulder to see that the lightsaber was slowly cutting through the knot. He relaxed but didn't move an inch.

The heat was starting to burn him and Luke felt on fire, and through the little he felt of the Force he could hear someone screaming. He shook his head, thinking he was still hallucinating, but the screams continued. He tried placing them in the building he was in, but they didn't come out from there. It was the Force.  
  
Luke blinked and momentarily saw himself surrounded by lava, his own lightsaber in hand, swinging against a bearded man he didn't recognise. He smelled ash and felt the pure _rage_ burning inside of him. His own heart became a cocktail of pain, exhaustion, worry and a love that could shatter mountains, and Luke realised that this wasn't him— he was more in control of his emotions than the heart he currently inhabited. The skills with which he fought weren't his either, he could never fight like that. He would exhaust himself in a matter of minutes yet the fight continued. 

He was _ruthless_ in combat.   
  
The bearded man was also an excellent fighter, though Luke could see that he was holding back; for some reason he didn't want to hurt him. There was love and familiarity in his eyes, even if Luke was attacking with the sole purpose of killing him.

He wasn't killing him, at least not yet, but he was causing him pain, even if the man didn't have a scratch on him. He could see it in his eyes and the way he frowned at him, mentally begging him to stop the nonsense and talk it out.

Luke's arms were moving without his consent, and the bearded man blocked his attacks again and again. His precision was unaccounted for, almost as if he could predict them— and Luke squinted. He recognised the sad glint in those eyes, but no way it could be...

Luke blinked again and the vision was gone. He crashed on the floor and inhaled deeply, his lungs finally getting clear air. He inhaled dust but didn't care as the ash still felt too recent inside his lungs. 

He looked around and saw that the knot around his wrists was finally cut in half. He crawled away from the lightsaber fast and rubbed his wrists, blowing cold air at them. Still out of breath, he looked at his hands and saw that the fingertips were covered in volcanic ash.

Luke carefully touched the ash, mesmerised, confused and terrified at the strange Force vision. He didn't notice how his activated lightsaber tilted slowly towards him, and Luke had to physically grab it before it continued moving. 

He didn't do that, did he?

The Force wanted him dead.

Why?

Why put him through so much for him to die at the hands of his own lightsaber? Fine, it wasn't his— it was his father's, but still. What was _wrong_ with him? He placed it inside his jacket and blew the ash away. It faded away before it touched ground.

"Ruco I told you that I would–“he heard Han say, followed by a loud slap and an annoyed groan.

Luke winced. He walked to the source of the noise on the other end of the warehouse and hid behind a large ship. He saw Han kneeling on the floor, surrounded by Krawg pirates with weapons pointing at him. 

The pirate that stood in front of Han wore expensive jewelry and looked at him in disgust. She pressed her boot on Han's back, making him bow. "You still owe me twenty thousand credits. I want them now." Her voice was deep and angry, yet Luke couldn't sense anything. His connection to the Force disappeared.

Han, despite everything, snorted. "If you let me go I will give them to you, Ruco."

"You told me this six months ago. Still zero credits."

"That's because I was on a rush!" protested Han.

"Are you in a rush now?" she asked slowly, mocking him.

"Well, yes. You interrupted something when you _almost shot us down_."

Ruco frowned, removing her leg from Han's back. "Shot you down? I don't control aerial space in Vondarc."

"Well, before _someone_ shot us down." protested Han.

She kneeled to look at him. "Answer me Solo. Were you followed?"

"Through hyperspace, _yes_."

"Where were you headed?"

"Confidential, can't say."

Ruco slapped him. "Where were you going?" she repeated.

"The Outer Rim." 

"Why?"

"Confidential, can't say."

Ruco looked at him in disgust but didn't answer. She tilted her head so Han was taken away. Luke saw that she was bothered by something, but he couldn't place why. His senses were clogged on this planet.

Maybe if he could get closer...

Ruco's eyes landed on his.

He froze.

"You!"

Several pirates came from behind and cuffed him with metal cuffs. He was pushed to stand in front of Ruco. She stood several heads taller than him, a species Luke didn't recognise, and she eyed him up and down. 

"How did you escape?" she asked, frowning.

Luke stared at her but didn't answer, instead choosing to turn around to look at Han. He was being taken away. When Luke turned to her, she slapped him. "Take him with Solo. I'll deal with them later." she spat, and walked away.

One of the pirates behind Luke tensed. "In the cage too, sir?"

She stopped but didn't turn around. After a few seconds, she said yes. There was hesitation in there, and Luke didn't understand why. 

The guard was terrified. "With the other–?"

"Yes!" she shouted, and lifted a hand to mean she was finished talking. The guards tensed but pushed Luke so he would follow the other guards that had Han. 

They walked down several floors and Luke wondered how deep this building went. He passed several floors where he could hear laughter and music, but he still felt like he was underwater. Being out of tune with the Force felt like losing a limb.

After ten minutes of walking down endless stairs, they reached the basement. They walked through empty grey hallways with dirty walls until they reached a tall door. Two guards stood outside and opened it with a key. 

Luke frowned when the door opened. The place was wide and could easily fit three X-Wings in it. It had one long window near the ceiling that gave enough light to see the room properly, and the floor was covered with straws on top of asphalt. 

What occupied most of the room was a big cage in the corner. The light from the window didn't reach the entire cage so one part was in complete darkness. Luke didn't understand why pirates kept such a big cage for prisoners, unless–

Luke prayed that there wasn't any animal inside. Ruco said she would deal with them tomorrow, so she didn't want them dead. But that didn't mean not injured.

The guards pushed them inside and locked the cage with another key. As soon as they left the room, Luke used the Force to get rid of the cuffs and turned to Han, who was staring straight ahead at the dark part of the cage. 

Han was frozen in place, looking past Luke's shoulder. "We're not alone."


	10. The Wise Man

Han was frozen in place, looking past Luke's shoulder. "We're not alone."

Luke heard the warning in his voice and turned around, igniting his lightsaber in the process. The basement was illuminated by a blue light and the hum echoed the cage. The movement was so fast that before the lightsaber ignited to its full length, there was already a red lightsaber blocking it.

Luke froze.

At the end of his lightsaber stood a man, whose face was the only thing that shone against his black clothing. His face was covered in dirt and dried blood, and his frown illuminated by red. He looked like he had been caught doing something wrong.

Luke lowered his lightsaber and took a long step back, his eyes fixed on him. The glowing orange eyes stared back, a mix of recognition and surprise in them. Neither of them were blinking, taking their time to stare at each other. Luke considered attacking him, but decided against it as he heard Han behind him.

“Kid?”

Luke thought that if he took his eyes out of Vader the man would disappear. He had had a strange vision of a fight recently, so he wondered if this was another Force trick.

But Vader looked far too real.

He stood still as a statue, red lightsaber raised in front of him, not blinking. His hair was dirty and all over the place and longer than Luke remembered, the curls reaching his mid neck. He had one ungloved hand, currently holding the lightsaber, and was paler than usual and the blood on his cheek and neck looked old.

He looked like he could swallow the entire planet without blinking, even in his rough state.

Luke felt like he had caught a dangerous animal hiding in a cave, who was showing him his teeth to defend himself. While that would be Darth Vader normally, now Vader was too calm. If this was normal, Han and him would be beaten the moment they stepped into the cage.

“You know him?” asked Han, unaware of the danger he was in.

Luke blinked fast. Vader was still there.

This was real, and Han would die if he didn't do something. He took a deep breath, still staring at Vader, who stood impassive and ready to attack as soon as the opportunity arose. Luke knew he had some immunity but Han would be dead unless he protected him. 

Luke swallowed slowly, breaking out a sweat. “No, I don't know him.” he lied calmly.

Vader's eyes flickered with surprise when Luke lowered his lightsaber and deactivated it. Luke's eyes landed on his red lightsaber, and Vader understood what was being asked of him. They had to pretend not to know each other.

Vader didn't deactivate his lightsaber, but lowered it to the ground just slightly to create smoke against the dirt. He tried to pick at the remains of the bond they shared from its grave, trying to activate it to talk to him, but Luke actively resisted. 

Han laughed in relief, oblivious to the invisible fight happening in front of him. "Who are you?” he asked accusingly.

Vader frowned in confusion, unused to being treated like this, and Luke almost laughed. Almost is the key word, because with his back to Han, he gestured Vader to say something. Vader frowned even more, suddenly aware of his ignited lightsaber. It had become such a vital part of him that he forgot people hardly ever saw one.

Vader finally spoke. “That is most irrelevant.” he whispered loudly, swallowing hard. His voice came out small yet still carried his tones of authority.

Han knew how to read people and it didn't take him long to notice something was off, if the red lightsaber wasn't a clue already. He walked to him, unafraid and annoyed. “Listen, I've had a very long day and since we're stuck here you better cooperate unless you want to fight a Wookie.”

Luke shut his eyes. If only Han knew who he was talking to, neither Chewbacca nor him would last a minute.

Vader raised one hand in defeat, the other still holding his lightsaber, and made a face. “I mean no harm.” he whispered again. 

Han looked at the lightsaber. “Where'd you get that?” he asked, pointing at the lightsaber that was still creating smoke against the ground.

Luke didn't know what Vader would say, so he stepped in. As much as he hated lying to Han, his safety was a priority when an atomic bomb was so close to him. He pretended to be fascinated by the weapon. “It's a stolen lightsaber. I haven't seen this type of handle in ages. It's from Takodana, isn't it?”

His own lightsaber, hidden carefully inside his jacket, was only a reminder that if Vader saw the handle he might recognise it as Anakin's, and would put two plus two together. Luke had to keep it hidden.

Vader nodded slowly, even if he knew there was nothing in Takodana. 

“How do you even steal a lightsaber?” asked Han, looking at Vader, and then turned to look suspiciously at Luke. “And how do _you_ know it's stolen?”

Luke lied again. “I've met several people who had it, and they all found it or stole it. Nobody knows the owner.”

“Huh,” said Han, looking at Vader up and down, “You're also a smuggler, then?”

Vader blinked, still as a statue. “Yes.”

Han raised his eyebrows. “No offense, but you don't play the part very well. New to this?”

Vader nodded tiredly.

Han smirked. “Well, you're in luck, because we're getting the hell out of here,” he said, and walked to the gate of the cage, leaving Luke and Vader behind, “I don't know how you got involved with the Krawg pirates, but it's a tough crowd, I'm telling you.” he explained, and knelt to inspect the lock.

Vader took the chance to reach out to Luke, but the boy shook himself off from the grasp and glared at him with pure hatred.

The man had ruined his life.

Vader pushed against his shields again, trying to talk, but Luke pushed back, and Vader's nostrils flared in frustration. 

“...Voldarc ain't a good system either. If they leave now we could be here for ages, and no one would find us.” explained Han, his back still turned to them.

Vader used the Force to push Luke a few steps back.

“Hey, Han?” asked Luke, his voice creaking.

Han didn't notice, still busy trying to pick the lock. “Yeah?”

“What did the pirates do to you?”

Han snorted. “Still at it huh? I might have, uh, accidentally destroyed a facility they kept in the Colonies...”

Vader wasn't listening. He didn't understand how the Commander resisted his attempts to talk to him through the Force. Maybe he didn't care about the Force, but perhaps he cared about...

Vader walked towards Han, who looked at him with a scowl and protested. “What do you want?”

Luke clenched his jaw. From all of Han's near death experiences, nothing ever came close to this.

“Name?” asked Vader.

“Why would I tell you?"

“You own the Millenium Falcon, don't you?” asked Vader naively.

_Oh no._

Vader knew who Han was.

“It's not for sale.” said Han, cursing when the lock wouldn't open. 

Vader looked at Luke and raised an eyebrow, giving him one last chance. Either talk to him or Han dies. Luke's mouth fell open, even if he was still scanning Vader for any indication of attack. 

“No, Captain Solo, it is not for sale.”

Han stood and glared at him. “Wait a minute, who says I'm a Captain?” asked Han, glaring at him. Luke wanted to intervene and beg Han to shut up, but that would raise questions.

Vader tilted his head. “You just did, by saying you own the ship.” he said, and Luke knew that he was keeping himself in check, but the bomb was already set and it was only a matter of time before it exploded. 

“You're weird as hell man. What's your deal?” asked Han.

“You took part in the destruction of the Death Star, did you not?”

Han took a step back, fear in his eyes. “Who the hell are you?! Did Jabba send you?!”

Luke finally spoke. “Leave him alone.”

“Very well.” said Vader, putting some distance between him and Han. Luke frowned, but didn't let his guard down.

This was too easy.

“What the hell is this?” asked Han, but before he could answer, his knees gave in and he fell to the floor. Luke used the Force to catch him before he hit his head on the ground. 

Vader towered above them, face impassive and bored. Luke glared at him after checking that Han was still alive. “Are you satisfied with yourself now, Lord Vader?”

Vader didn't blink. “We can talk now since you refused to do it in more discreet manners.”

“I refuse to talk to you," spat Luke, and then heard Vader coughing and wheezing, and looked at him. He had turned around and had a hand pressed against his chest. "Why are you wheezing?"

Vader ignored the question. “You don't have a choice but to talk to me, considering we are prisoners... _here.”_ he said with disgust, looking around the cage. His voice was but a mere forced whisper, and would crack any moment now.

“We are not stuck. You know perfectly well that you can get out of here if you wanted. Which, by the way, what are you _doing_ here?”

Vader was leaning against the wall and using an arm to balance himself to avoid falling. He shut his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before opening them, but it came out as wheezing. Luke noticed that from the little he could see of Vader's ungloved hand, it was covered in ash.

He had also seen that Force vision.

Luke remembered feeling suffocated in the fight against the bearded man, is this why Vader couldn't breathe properly now? 

Force, was the vision _real?_

Luke hid his own hands and tried scrubbing the ash off. “You know more of the Death Star attack than you did before. Any developments on the investigation, then?” he spat out. He didn't want to talk to Vader, but he needed to know if his identity as the Pilot had been compromised.

He knew Vader would discover the truth eventually, but he hoped that he would be on an island on the furthest point of the galaxy when that happened.

“No. Why are you here?” asked Vader, looking straight into his eyes. Luke wanted to know what Vader was doing here too, since his own story made much more sense that whatever Vader would tell him. He meddled with pirates, so he got captured. It was simple.

“Why should I tell you?”

Vader walked to him. He had enough of the hostility. “I am leaving soon, and considering your current circumstances and that you have flown to Vondarc willingly, I want to remind you that my offer still stands.”

Another wheeze. It was hard for him to talk.

Luke didn't understand anything. “I don't want anything from you.”

“You don't even know what it is, we have had this conversation before," said Vader, hoping Luke would remember their shared dream from a few days ago, "You refused to listen to me then. I demand that you do now, Commander."

Luke's sadness at his former title rolled off him before he could raise his shields. Unfortunately, Vader had felt it. He tilted his head to look at Luke, trying to place what was wrong so he could use it in his favour to get them out of there.

“Commander?” he asked again. More pain. This was getting interesting. Vader pushed softly against Luke’s mind but it was still hard as steel. “Very well. If you want to rot in this cage, I respect your wishes.”

Luke snorted. “That's a first.”

Vader scowled. “It is not, Commander. Even if I do not understand what you are doing here, I will let you be.”

Vader noticed that Starkiller pained whenever he addressed him by his official title. This was curious. “Commander," There it was again. “Isn't your Rebellion coming to rescue you?”

Luke didn't answer. Like hell he would tell him. “Why do _you_ care?” he asked, drawing patterns on the ground absentmindedly. He didn't understand his own calmness at the situation— he should be furious and terrified of Darth Vader, yet he wasn't.

He was annoyed.

Vader crossed his arms. “I have an offer for you–”

“...and I don't want it.”

Vader continued. “I am asking you for one last favour,” he said harshly, and his voice cracked because he spoke too loudly, “The Security Bureau hasn't managed to locate the Emperor yet, and with each day that passes more sectors are rebelling against the Empire because their individual planetary requests are not being passed to the Imperial Senate.”

Luke nodded. “Good.”

“No. The riots are catastrophical, civilians are dying under fire as we speak. They demand that the Emperor listens to their demands but since he cannot, _because he is missing_ , they are not receiving any answers. Only the Emperor can approve their requests, but his disappearance is still confidential, and they refuse to wait any longer." explained Vader, and when he finished he suppressed a cough. 

After a few moments, he continued. "Several sectors in the Outer Rim have reorganized themselves militarily and are attacking those who refuse to join their cause. It started out as mere threats but entire systems are being held hostage until they accept military cooperation.”

Luke snorted. Vader was the biggest hypocrite in the galaxy. “How ironic that you care about that. The Empire has been killing _millions_ since first Empire Day. Why are you bothered _now_?”

Vader blinked. “I don't, but they are targeting the Rebellion.”

Luke stopped his drawing of an X-Wing on the floor. 

The Rebellion that had casted him out for something he wasn't guilty of.

 _That_ Rebellion was being targeted.

Interesting.

“Why the Rebellion? They stand for the same goal; they want the Empire gone.”

Vader nodded, slowly walking around in circles, hands behind his back. “Precisely. They want to do it themselves, and it seems that the Rebellion is posing as competition," he explained out of breath, "This organization has enough participants but they lack the military equipment...”

“...which the Rebellion has," finished Luke, getting up and facing him, "When did this begin?” 

“Four weeks ago,” said Vader, and then frowned, “You have not been informed of this? It is a threat to the Rebellion, bigger than the Empire. I suspected a rebel Commander would be aware of this.”

He was talking in whispers now, since Luke was close enough to hear him properly. 

Luke shook his head. “I've been out of the loop...” he said, frowning at the ground. “Do you know any dates of attacks or...future meetings these people might hold? Any intel?"

"Not yet." whispered Vader, his yellow eyes glinting with something Luke didn't recognise. This was the less violent version of Vader he had ever seen.

“Is this why you're here?” asked Luke.

Vader had a nervous tick on his eyes. He pondered over how much he wanted to reveal to a rebel Commander, but out of all the people, he trusted him, even if he knew he shouldn't. “Yes. Several sources have cited activity of this insurrection to Vondarc.”

Luke scanned his eyes and how they dropped to the cage when he said Vondarc. “You're lying.”

“You cannot prove that,” he whispered, pointing a finger at him, “I am here because Vanis traced the Emperor's kidnappers to this facility.”

For all he knew, he could be lying about that too, but Luke found himself not caring. “Celissa Vanis? Is she connected to this?” he asked. The Mothma investigation seemed so far away compared to everything that happened since. 

“Not that I am aware of.” answered Vader calmly. He had a dreamy gaze in his eyes and his head swung a little to the left. He snapped his eyes open when he realised he was letting his guard down. 

“And can't you just ask Celissa what she was doing here? Perhaps she knows something,” asked Luke. and when Vader didn't answer he sighed. “She's dead, isn't she?”

“She is _missing,_ ” corrected Vader, “I assigned her a mission and ordered an ISB agent to follow her, but he lost her.”

The ISB agent was probably dead.

Vader then shut his eyes and suppressed a groan. Any adult could see that something was wrong with him.

“And what the hell has happened to _you_?” asked Luke, nodding towards the dried blood on Vader's face.

“That is irrelevant. I am telling you this because I have an offer–”

Luke didn't even think before interrupting. “I don't want to hear about it.”

Vader sighed. The boy was very stubborn when he wanted to be. “Commander, it is about your father.”

Silence.

The planet stopped spinning.

Vader saw that Han was starting to roll on the ground, and he deviated his gaze from Luke for a second. With one Force push Han crumbled down to the floor again, unconscious. 

When Vader looked at Luke again, the boy's eyes were starting to glow in the darkness of the basement. Luke was shaking from repressed anger, trying his hardest not to attack Vader for Han's sake. His eyes became slightly yellow around the corners, and Vader marvelled at it. 

“My father is dead. Because of you.” said Luke sharply, his voice a calm anger.

“You cannot prove that, but I do want to give you something.” said Vader, the words not coming out easily.

Luke doubted Vader could ever give him anything more than a nightmare. 

“I want to give you closure,” explained Vader, tasting the word in his mouth, “I will find your father's killer if come with me and put this insurrection to an end. It is a confidential mission and I could use someone with your expertise.”

Silence.

Luke's mind was running faster than hyperspace.

This had to be a joke, but Darth Vader didn't joke.

“I am serious, Commander, but if you have any other suggestions that I can aid you with, then speak.” His decision to help the Commander find his father's killer was a shot in the dark, because he had no clue what the Commander cared about. He only got a strong reaction whenever his father was mentioned.

Luke was suddenly very aware of Han's body on the ground. There was no way he was accepting an offer from Vader, but he still wanted to help the Alliance. If now they had a common enemy that wanted the Alliance dead, even more than the Empire, he had to do something to help them.

Even if he had sworn to himself that he would never interact with Vader again.

This was so stupid, but he started to think that perhaps Vader didn't kill his father after all. Why would he volunteer to find his father' killer if he killed him himself? It didn't make any sense. Perhaps Vader wasn't guilty of that after all.

Vader was still guilty of killing thousands, though.

...and Luke Skywalker wasn't?

The repressed guilt in Luke's stomach re-appeared. Didn't he destroy a space station filled with thousands of people a few years ago? Wasn't he also declared a terrorist?

Luke clenched his jaw. He might have the entire galaxy looking for him, so what better place to hide than in plain sight, right under Darth Vader's nose?

He sighed. If only aunt Beru could see him now.

“I accept.”

The beginnings of a smile appeared in Vader's face, creating some wrinkles around his mouth, but disappeared as fast they came. He nodded and extended his ungloved hand. 

Luke stared at the dried ash on Vader's fingers and shook his hand. Vader saw that the Commander's hands were also covered in Mustafar volcanic ash. He stared at him, seeing that the yellow in his eyes had disappeared into a grey blue. He snapped when the ash suddenly felt too hot, and repressed all his memories of the same ash burning him twenty-two years ago.

* * *

Han awoke to find Luke sitting cross-legged on the floor opposite the other man. They both had their eyes closed. He tried to recall what happened – Luke was talking to the man, and then everything went dark. Han had seen Luke render people unconscious to survive, but why had he done that to him?

Luke seemed to be meditating, and the other man imitated his posture. Han frowned. Luke could charm many people, but from how little he saw from the other man, he doubted Luke's charms would work on him.

In fact, they looked far too comfortable in each other's presence, considering they were both armed with the most dangerous weapons in the galaxy and didn't know each other.

Yet there they sat...asleep?

Vader groaned through the Force. _Smuggler is awake._

The idea of opening the bond again was Luke's, even if he didn't like it. But if they needed to work together again it would be easier to communicate, especially if talking seemed painful to Vader. 

“Uh...?” 

Luke snapped out of the Force meditation trance at the sound of Han's voice. Leaving the trance so harshly felt like ripping out a band aid, and all his senses were screaming. “How are you feeling?” he asked calmly, walking towards Han.

Luke's gaze spoke volumes: Han had clearly interrupted something important.

“I'm fine,” said Han, “but what the hell are you doing?” he whispered, pointing at Vader who was listening quietly, eyes closed. 

“This very wise man here knows the way out,” said Luke sarcastically, and noticed Vader's scowl even if he was in meditation, “We're leaving soon.” 

Luke didn't enjoy lying, especially to Han, who taught him how to lie. They were leaving, that part was true, but their ways would part as soon as they left the cage. Han needed to finish the job or else he would die — and Luke and Vader had to go. 

“You mean he's picked the lock?” asked Han in confusion. 

Vader didn't need to pick a lock to get out, and neither did he. “No, the Force, remember? I can get us out of here.”

Han looked at Vader and his eyes fell to the lightsaber on his belt. “Who is he?” he mouthed.

“A very wise man.” repeated Luke sarcastically.

“Well, if he's so wise, how the hell did he end up here?”

Vader snapped and opened his eyes. “Enough! We leave now."

Han raised his hands in defeat. Whoever that man was, Han didn't have the patience to deal with his tantrums. 

Luke asked Vader through the Force. “ _How do you plan on sneaking past the pirates?”_

Vader was staring at Han, who made a face to shoo him away. _“No, the Force, remember? I can get us out of here.”_ he said in calm mockery, quoting Luke.

Luke ignored the childishness he didn't expect Darth Vader to have. _“A bit suspicious to have two prisoners using the Force to escape.”_

_“Are you not taking the smuggler?”_

_“Of course I am.”_

_“Then you will follow my orders and I suggest you tell the pirate to do the same. Under any circumstances do not draw your weapon out.”_

_“He's not a pirate.”_

_“Who decides that?”_

Luke sighed and addressed Han, his back to Vader. He didn't know how to begin. “As soon as we leave this place, you have to go back to the Falcon.”

“Of course, where else would I go?” asked Han.

“No, I mean it. Tell Chewie what happened, and finish the job.”

Han frowned. “Where are _you_ going?”

“I have...old things to take care of. I know I told you I'd stay with you, and I will, just something urgent popped up.” said Luke, wanting to tell how urgent it was.

“No, no, I get it, it's fine.”

Vader had already opened the cage and was standing outside, his arms crossed behind his back, out of breath.

Han eyed him suspiciously. “So, what's the plan, wise man?” he asked.

Luke felt all the blood drain from his face when he felt a murderous spike from Vader. 

“Follow me and do not say a word unless you want to be displayed as a prize for the pirates.” whispered Vader. 

They followed Vader out the basement down grey corridors in near darkness. Vader strode in front of them like he owned the place, his hand carefully placed on his lightsaber. Han watched the mysterious man behave like an old war general, telling them to hide when necessary and going in first to unexplored areas.

There was something Luke wasn't telling him. 

Who the hell was this man?

They reached a corridor and heard laughter at the end of it. Luke reached out into the Force, feeling Vader's presence also reaching out, faster than him. They locked gazes and Vader spoke.

“The pirates are in that room. The exit is past it. Stay here, I will clear the path.“ he ordered. Luke didn't need to be told what “clear the path” meant. Those pirates would soon have a meeting with Darth Vader.

Everyone knew how the story ended.

They watched Vader disappear into the room, and the screams that followed were ugly.

“I thought the Jedi were dead.” murmured Han, looking at the flash of red coming from the half-opened door. The chaos that was happening inside was disturbing, even to him.

"Yeah but you don't need to be a Jedi to know how to use a lightsaber.” said Luke.

Minutes passed and Vader tugged on their bond to alert Luke. Han opened the door slowly, and frowned when something blocked it from opening completely. He pushed harder, and paled when he saw a dead pirate beneath his feet.

The room was a bloodbath.

The wooden table where the pirates played cards was now covered in bodies and blood dripped to the ground slowly, and there were body disfigurations that Han thought weren't biologically possible.

Han was convinced this man worked for the Empire. At least he hoped he did, because if he was a serial killer Han would have rather stayed in the cage.

In the middle of the room stood Darth Vader, getting blood out of his lightsaber handle with a frown, shutting his eyes every few seconds. He leaned against the wall, coughing occasionally, and paid them no attention.

The exit door was on the other side of the room, a pile of bodies on the way. Luke took a deep breath, ignoring Vader, and very slowly moved the bodies out of the way with the Force, for Han's sake. “We must go.”

“I'm so tired of your magic tricks, kid...so tired.” whispered Han and Luke smiled gently at him. It was the only reassurance he could offer. If he told him the truth about who Vader was, Han would pass out. 

It was early morning when they left the building, the sky grey and cloudy. Luke felt the cold breeze hug his skin, and the air smelled of incoming rain. Vader had disappeared somewhere, leaving Luke and Han alone. The exit door gave way to an empty landing platform.

“Han, see if the Falcon is still there–”

Vader interrupted him, barking inside his head. _It is. Come immediately, we must leave now._

Luke continued, ignoring Han's confused gaze as to why Luke had zoned out. “...and leave this place as fast as you can.”

Han blinked. “Are you sure you don't want to come with us?”

Luke wanted that more than anything, but he felt Vader's tug through the Force, shaking with impatience. “I can't. I have to go.”

“Fine. Take care of yourself, I'll see you around?”

Luke knew they wouldn't see each other for a long time. There were big changes coming, and he didn't have the privilege to hold on to the past. “Take care, Han.” he said, giving him a fake smile. 

“You too, kid.”

Luke watched Han walk away and wondered if all of this was worth it.

*** * ***

Luke entered an imperial ship he didn't recognise and walked towards the cockpit, hoping to find Vader there— but he wasn't. Luke looked around and heard noises in another room, and announced himself in case he was intruding.

“Lord Vader?” he asked loudly. It was then that he heard something fall to the floor and looked inside the room.

Vader was in what Luke assumed was a small rectangular kitchen. There were tall cupboards attached to the walls and a small surface in between them. The place felt claustrophobic, and Luke watched Vader open a cupboard filled with bottled water and read the tags, dissatisfied with most water bottles that looked identical from where Luke was standing.

Once he decided that one particular bottle was acceptable, he placed it on the small surface and leaned down to unzip his boot. He pulled a small grey bag from the sewn compartment and opened the water bottle, his vision already darkening.

He started to lose balance.

Luke felt Vader weakening by moments and when the man started to lose control of his body, Luke pulled an arm around him and sent pushes through the Force, giving him some of his energy. 

Vader was shaking and his breathing was ragged. He awoke seconds after, not noticing Luke in the slightest. Luke let him go and took some steps back, still close enough if he fell again.

Vader opened the bag and put a small pill on his shaking hand. He gulped down a couple of sips of water, and swallowed the pill.

Luke gaped. He stopped his brain from jumping into conclusions. He clearly should not have seen this. “Um...”

Vader's first instinct was to kill him right there. If anyone found out that he was chronically ill they would use it against him and he couldn't take any risks.

He leaned against the cupboard and balanced his next actions very carefully. “This is a warning. Speak of what you have just witnessed and you are dead. Captain Solo will be dead,” he said in an icy rough voice, still wheezing, “I will personally see to the destruction of everything you care about. Is that understood?” 

He meant all of what he said.

Luke nodded guiltily, and it hurt him seeing a man at his lowest still so defensive, even if said man had just killed a room of armed pirates.

Vader was slowly regaining his usual skin color now, even if he was still out of breath. With his face still covered in ash and blood, and smelling like blood, he looked like he would pass out any minute again.

“I will not ask questions,” said Luke seriously, and Vader's orange eyes looked icily cold. “I have saved you from death before and lied about it, what is this compared to _that_?”

Vader ignored him and headed to the cockpit. Luke followed him closely, worried that he might pass out again. The ship had a co-pilot seat, and Luke slowly sat down in it, eyes never leaving Vader, scanning for possible orders not to. Vader seemed too busy with his reckless flying to get them out of orbit to protest. 

As soon as they were out of Vondarc, Luke physically shivered as he felt the Force again. It felt like finally seeing with both eyes after wearing an eyepatch for too long.

Vader took a deep breath, still wheezing, and Luke supposed he wasn't the only one that missed the Force on Vondarc. Now that he could feel Vader's presence in the Force, so bright and cold next to him, he realised that it no longer burnt him.

Luke had been burning in his own anger for far too many days now, and Vader's coldness felt like a bacta patch on a fresh injury.

The darkness of space engulfed the ship and they felt calmer now. Luke wondered if Vader was fine enough to fly, considering he didn't know for how long he had been on Vondarc, but the man's energy through the Force was vibrating. 

"Did you feel the Force on Vondarc?" asked Luke.

Vader had his eyes closed and was allowing the Force to ease the pain inside his lungs. "I did not." he whispered.

"Do you know why?” asked Luke. Vader was a Sith Lord, he clearly knew more of the Force than Luke did. Perhaps he even met a couple Jedi back in the day.

”No.”

Luke blinked. ”Maybe since we both were there we might have caused some magnetic repulsion in the Force,” he explained more to himself than to Vader, “Your presence against mine might have clashed and created an area devoid of the Force in the galaxy, or...well, in Vondarc."

Vader frowned and stared at him, clearly disapproving of what he just said.

"It _is_ just a theory." protested Luke.

"That is not how the Force works." whispered Vader. The ship stopped in the middle of space and Vader used the planet's light to see the pannel better. He didn't want to turn on the lights or his headache would get worse.

Luke didn't like that Vader was so calm, as if the man had forgotten that he killed an entire room of people not even thirty minutes ago. 

Vader pressed several buttons tiredly, leaving some blood stains on them. In near darkness, with only Vondarc's light illuminating him, Vader looked _almost_ human. His chest rose slowly, and in the void of space Luke could hear the rough wheezing in his lungs. He wondered how in all hells Vader was still holding himself up.

“Where are we going?” asked Luke, “You said you didn't know any dates of–”

“Leave.”

Luke stopped. “Not exactly possible at the moment, we are in space.”

Vader didn't appreciate the sarcasm. “I need to listen to transmissions of the highest security clearance and I do not want you here,” he whispered, “Go to the furthest part of the ship and stay there. Do not come back until I say so or you _will_ end up in space.”

Luke was glad to be out of there because he wasn't sure how he would take listening to such precious information and not being able to send anything to the Alliance. He left without saying anything, feeling Vader's attention on him even if he wasn't looking.

He walked down the maze that was the ship and entered a small room. There was an unused bed and he crashed on it. He winced when he realised he landed on his lightsaber, still hidden inside his jacket.

He took it in his hands and examined it. Ben Kenobi said that Anakin had built it himself, and Luke wanted to build one with the same design, but he was thinking of a green crystal, if those existed.

He considered sleep, but he was afraid of letting his guard down near Vader. Luke doubted he would kill him in his sleep— he needed his help, after all— but perhaps he could do something to his mind while he was defenceless...

...and Luke had something very precious in his mind that might kill him if it got out.

He had his true identity.

If Vader discovered that he had been lying to him, he would die.

If the name accidentally slipped in his mind and Vader felt it, he would die.

If anyone recognised him as Luke Skywalker, he would die.

Luke Skywalker's identity all ended up on death for him.

He had to delete Luke Skywalker from existence or he would die, as ironic as that was.

He had to let go.

In the void of space, the Force sensed his turmoil and whispered his father's name to soothe him, and Luke relaxed. His love for his father grounded him and gave him purpose in a way nothing could anymore. He had lost everything he cared about already, yet he still found comfort in what he lost.

He was doing all of this for his father.

He had accepted working with Vader again because he wanted his father's story to be clear. Anakin Skywalker's story deserved to be known, at least by his son. 

If Vader could find who killed Anakin, perhaps Luke would consider Vader a friend. 

_Perhaps_.

They kept finding each other for some reason, even in the remotest places of the galaxy— the Force had to have a reason for needing them to stick together.

Luke desperately wanted to know his place in all of this, why Vader had insisted on needing his “expertise” on something Luke knew nothing about, on why he couldn't hide from the man that was indirectly tearing the galaxy apart to find him, not knowing that he had already found him months ago.  
  
Luke fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, not feeling how on the other side of the ship the Force was whispering _Anakin Skywalker_ at Vader, who dismissed his former name as weakness and continued reading the reports he was sent on a mission he didn't care about.


	11. Part II: Imperial Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben Starkiller (formerly known as Luke Skywalker: CEO of the Chanel Boots, Trendsetter, Full-Time Legend) is still on the run and forbidden from contacting the Rebellion. He has accepted Vader's offer of investigating a new threat to the galaxy, and moves in to the Executor. He becomes friends with Admiral Piett (who doesn't understand how Luke is so nice. He must not be from around here, right? RIGHT? Right...) while Darth Vader is haunted by a ghost of his past, literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Story-wise speaking, we are entering Part II. 
> 
> I cannot thank you guys enough for the support you have shown this fic in these last ten chapters, already 50k words. I had a vague idea for this fic back in December 2019, and I decided to write a draft just for my own self-indulgences because I couldn't find any fic that resembled the idea I had. The fact that you guys are liking it is beyond me. So thank you, and I hope this story still brings something to you as it does to me. I feel like I'm growing up with this story—or maybe because 2020 has felt like ten years— and I can't wait to write more. And I know this sounds very pretentious and dramatic but these characters really mean the world to me, and I'm glad to have a community that shares this sentiment <3.

**PART II**

**"Your future needs you, your past doesn't."**

Luke had reached the conclusion that Luke Skywalker had to disappear from existence. He didn't know how much time he had until the bounty hunters discovered his name and broadcasted it to the galaxy- so he had to make sure nothing but his face connected him to Luke Skywalker.

Luke Skywalker was dead to him.

Even if he _was_ Luke Skywalker.

Force, when did his life come to this? A single shot in the death star was all it took for his life to go downhill. Now he was in a shuttle with Darth Vader, landing in the Executor, because Vader _needed_ his help. A week ago he didn't even know the Alliance had two enemies now. 

This insurrection problem Vader told him about seemed serious enough. If Luke couldn't help the Alliance from the inside, he would help them in enemy's territory. He doubted his time in the Empire would make him change his mind about him being a rebel though. He only hoped that his stay in the Empire was short.

Even if he had nowhere else to go.

Darth Vader walked in front of him, and Luke saw a small man receiving him. Admiral Piett acknowledged Vader with a short bow and let him guide him towards wherever Vader wanted him to be.

Luke followed them, looking around the hangar as if he was deactivating a bomb and couldn't miss any detail. All the times he had been in an imperial flagship were because he was captured, and he couldn't stop and admire the details because the stormtroopers dragged him around like an animal.

Now he was walking politely behind Darth Vader and Admiral Piett as one of their own.

Vader spoke. “Developments with the lead on Samaria?” 

Piett swallowed anxiously. “Ineffective, sir.”

“Vanis?” asked Vader.

“Unaccounted for.”

“The lead on level 15?”

“Lost in combat.”

Vader stopped. “Who made the final shot?”

“The squadron. The lead was armed and–”

“My orders were to bring them in alive, the lead is no use for me dead,” said Vader, and Piett bowed shortly, half-jogging to keep up with Vader’s speed. “What is the status in Akuria?”

“Everything proceeding accordingly, sir.” said Piett, not wanting to disclose confidential details in the presence of the boy.

Luke was listening to the conversation, finally understanding why Vader had lost his mind. He didn't understand how he was able to keep track of so many missions around the entire galaxy.

“Drogheda?” asked Vader.

“Base occupied.”

Luke raised his eyebrows. He didn't even know the Alliance had a base in Drogheda. Vader must have sensed Luke's surprise because he dismissed Piett and turned to face him. “You are surprised.” he said.

“Do you write it down?” asked Luke, crossing his arms, “Everything he just said. You can't have it memorised.”

"This is a war, Commander." said Vader, and Luke sighed. Vader wasn't a man of many words, and the ones he spoke didn't give much information. Darth Vader, even wtih his distinguishable physical aspects, floated like a ghost around the galaxy, not saying much, not moving a lot— yet he had everything and everyone under control.

They walked in silence and stopped in front of a bolted door. They passed several layers of extra security until they reached another locked door, and Luke was confused. Darth Vader was already all the extra security any room could need.

“This better be a bank,” whispered Luke under his breath, and when Vader finally opened the last door, Luke froze. "Oh."

Vader stepped into a dark room and used the Force to turn on the lights. The room was wide and looked straight out of a criminal investigation holodrama set. The walls were covered with maps, graphics and texts, and there were desks hoarded with documents. Luke had never seen so much paper in his life. 

Vader spoke next to him. “You will be working with Admiral Piett to retrieve intelligence from the Insurrection. I trust you are capable of working in this field.”

“I am,” said Luke, “do you trust me enough to do so?”

This was the question that had been on his mind since Vader made the offer. Vader knew he was a rebel— he didn't know he had been kicked out, Luke was still thinking about how to break the news— and Vader saw that he was capable of succeeding in any mission. Ben Starkiller was dangerous, yet Vader seemed to trust him, apparently.

The man titled his mask to look at him. “This is not about trust. If you fail me, you are dead.”

Luke nodded. He doubted Vader would kill him anyway— he had enough opportunity to do so.

And so had Luke.

Yet he had never killed him. There were moments where anyone else would have killed him, either for power, money, revenge or personal hatred. There were hundreds of reasons why someone would kill Darth Vader, yet Luke...couldn't do it. The Force felt strange in his brain whenever he thought about it. 

Vader continued. “Admiral Piett is in command of the flagship and of the ongoing investigation. You will follow his orders from now on. All intelligence is gathered here, I suggest you look through it and learn the crucial operations before he arrives.”

Luke walked around the room like he was in a museum, and stopped in front of a transparent pannel that had the galaxy's map drawn in it, and there were dozens of lines from one planet to another. “These are ship trajectories from the Outer Rim. Is that where that lead you spoke about was?” he asked.

“No, this is another lead. These are all up to date," explained Vader, "I supervise the investigation and allow missions to start. All departures and requests go through me.”

Luke didn't doubt that for a second. As far as he knew, at that exact moment all imperial requests of high rank went through Vader because the Emperor wasn't there do so.

Force, did Vader even rest?

Luke wanted to ask more questions, but Vader headed towards the door. “Where are you going?”

“Contrary to what you think, Commander, I do not hunt terrorists all day. I am leaving you under the Admiral’s supervision for the time being. I warn you that he is to inform me immediately if you disobey him. I suggest you do not.” he said, pointing a finger at him and disappearing.

Luke sat on the floor and sighed. Darth Vader probably didn't sleep because he had too much work to do.

Suddenly Luke remembered all the rebel stories about Vader where he was treated like a homicidal monster that did nothing else but kill innocent people. Some said he had claws and sharp teeth, like some fictional animal with black fur and shiny red eyes.

The man Luke knew had dark bags under his eyes from exhaustion, chronic respiratory problems and didn't get enough sleep because he was drowning in paperwork. Thousands of people fell into this description, probably working an office job in some lonely Outer Rim planet.

Vader had his issues, he had his, and they both had work to do. 

Luke was locked in a room that the Alliance would pay millions for, and yet he couldn't do anything about it. He stood up and walked around the room, looking and reading at all the panels carefully. There was so much work put to this, much more than any of the intel missions Luke had led against the Empire, and he couldn't help but marvel at all the resources they had. 

He could get used to this, if he ignored that the tiles under his feet were imperial.

Admiral Piett walked in tiredly, and tensed when he saw Luke. Luke approached him and extended his hand. “Commander Starkiller. It's nice to see you again.” 

Piett looked at him warily and extended his hand. “Lord Vader told me you are to aid us in our investigation. He has given me a summary of your activities in the Empire, it is impressive.” he said, and Luke frowned. His activities in the Empire were not something any imperial would be proud of. “Where do you come from?” asked Piett.

Luke frowned. “Tatooine, sir.”

“No, I mean, where have you arrived from, today?” asked Piett.

“Vondarc.”

“What was your mission in Vondarc?”

“I was assisting a friend on personal matters.” he said. 

“That is where Lord Vader found you, is that correct?”

Luke nodded, not knowing what Vader told him. “Yes, and I agreed to take on his offer, and I am here now, so please could you explain what is going on in Corellia–“

Piett didn't move. “Lord Vader did not say anything about any offers.”

“What has he told you?” asked Luke.

“It is confidential.”

Of course it was. “Well, from your point of view you have every reason not to trust me, but you trust Lord Vader-”

“Of course, sir.” protested Piett, and Luke knew an imperial couldn't answer anything other than Yes to that question if they wanted to live.

“Then trust his judgement of me. I am here to help.”

Piett swallowed, his mistrust still aparent through the Force. He told him to take a seat and started talking him through all the missions they had done so far. Luke sat down on a chair in front of a board filled with unreadable handwriting and coordinates that made no sense. “Aren't you busy?” he asked.

Piett stopped getting documents out of a built-in cupboard and looked at him. “We don't use this word. The work needs to get done.” 

Luke watched as Piett took some images and started arranging them with shaky hands. Luke had to intervene, it was like watching a corpse do a presentation. “Admiral, may I ask you something?”

Piett turned to look at him, his back straightening every time. “Yes, sir?” He had seen Ben Starkiller in Darth Vader's company twice. Whatever it was, the Commander clearly had rank, and Piett had no choice but to respect that.

“Lord Vader said you're babysitting me. How much time of the day will this take for you?” asked Luke.

Piett looked like he was seeing ghosts. This boy clearly had never worked in flagships. “I am not to leave you out of sight.”

Luke made a face. “Ever?” he asked, and Piett nodded slowly. “Well, that's just ridiculous.” 

Piett shushed him fast. “Do not say that about Lord Vader.”

“What? That he's ridiculous?” repeated Luke.

Piett deadpanned and Luke decided to stop for the Admiral’s sake. Piett continued arranging routes on a map, and Luke noticed that he was blinking consciously and slowly. Luke had seen too many soldiers do that; this had to stop.

“Admiral, when was the last time you ate or slept?” he asked, concerned.

Piett let the strange boy ask his strange questions. “Ate this morning, sir.”

Luke was horrified. While that was usual in the battlefield, this man was in a flagship all day. “It's already late in the evening. And slept?”

Piett looked annoyed. “I don't know, Commander. Is this of any relevance?”

Luke sighed. "Yes, it is." he said seriously, and got up. Piett watched him closely. “You will show me the dining hall, we get some food, you show me my quarters and _you_ go to sleep.”

Piett frowned hysterically. “There is an organized attack on Corellia in a few days, I cannot-”

Luke sighed. “Corellia can wait, it's not going anywhere and I don't need a babysitter.”

Piett opened his mouth to speak but closed it. He was hesitating. “Lord Vader does not allow unnecessary breaks.” he said seriously.

“I am sure of it, but this is necessary. You can't concentrate like this. If you keep this up you might send a bomb to Imperial Centre by accident, Admiral.” joked Luke.

Piett paled.

Ah, right.   
  
_Empire_.

“It's a joke. Come on, let's go.”

Piett accepted reluctantly, and picked up some files to bring with him, but Luke groaned and put them back on the desk. “No no no, these stay here.”

“I need to-”

Luke thought of a way to bypass Piett. “This is classified intel, Admiral. That is a bolted door right there, and _The Darth Vader_ is breathing down our necks. These files _really_ shouldn't leave this room.”

He was right.

Piett nodded and just went along. He walked Luke down the Executor, briefly commenting on what each room was for and introducing some officers from afar. Luke had to suppress shivers from the names he recognized from rebel stories. It still felt unreal. Any rebel would kill to have Darth Vader and an imperial Admiral guiding him into the heart of the Empire.

Yet there he was.  
  
Thinking about dinner.

Piett might have been exhausted, but he was alert. He was careful not to slip any classified imperial information beyond the investigation as per Lord Vader's orders. 

The Commander was something else, though. When they reached the empty dining hall he had asked about each type of food and its origins, how it was cooked and who made it. He even asked to meet the chefs later. Piett had his suspicions that perhaps the boy wasn't imperial at all, or belonged to some aristocratic imperial family, but he knew better than to voice these thoughts out loud. 

They sat in a corner hidden from the entrance doors. There was enough silence to drive someone crazy, thought Luke, and he looked at the Admiral. The man could use a vacation, perhaps when all of this was over he could convince Vader to go easier on him. 

Because now he, some farmer from the Outer Rim that was lucky enough to join the Alliance, could convince Darth Vader to do things, yeah.

His life, the latest holodrama.

Piett interrupted. “Sir, if you don't mind me asking-”

Luke snorted, hands occupied in cutting the food. “Drop the sir, please. I'm not that old.”  
  
Piett was sure the Commander wasn't even twenty-three yet. What was he doing _here?_

“My apologies. If you don't mind me asking, Commander, why has Lord Vader brought you into this investigation?”

Luke swallowed. “I worked with him before, you remember. Perhaps he thought me capable of working on this one,” he said, and waited until he chewed the food, “I mean, you know how he is: one day it's Yes, next day it's No. Honestly, Force knows why I'm here. I'm sure he doesn't even know himself.”

Piett suppressed a laugh. “I used to think the Force was a fictional story for children, until I met Lord Vader. He knows what you're thinking before you even think it.”

“I know, it gets scary sometimes. Does it bother you?” asked Luke in concern. He did teach him to shield his mind, but he was sure Vader could see through that.

Piett blinked. “It does not bother me. I work in high ranks, I understand the need for security.”

“But there is a line between security and invasion of privacy. If you can't even think privately then what type of privacy do you even have?” asked Luke.

Piett sighed. He was too tired for this rebellious boy. “I understand, Commander.”

Luke frowned in concern at the basic answer people gave him when they were too exhausted to argue. “So, what did you do? Before the– you know, all this?” he asked, smiling.

Piett's eyes widened. People didn't ask questions like that. “Question for another time, I believe.” 

He froze at his own answer. The Commander had an important rank if Lord Vader personally brought him in, he couldn't just refuse to answer his questions-

Luke shrugged. "Alright, I was just curious."

Piett was expecting a backlash. He didn't know what type of imperial training the boy had undergone, but this behaviour was odd. In the imperial fleet if someone asked you something and you refused to answer, it meant you were hiding information. You _always_ had to answer.

Yet the Commander didn't seem to care about that. How did this boy come in contact with Lord Vader, he didn't know.

After finally eating some proper food, Luke leaned back and extended himself to the Force. He couldn't feel Vader anywhere on the ship. “Do you know where Lord Vader is?”

“If you have anything to report you must do it through me. I will analyse your inquiry and see if it is worth Lord Vader's distraction-” said Piett, reciting protocol.

“He won't get any messages if his filtering is this extreme.”

Piett nodded humorously and Luke laughed.

Piett even managed to smile a little.

Baby steps, thought Luke. He wanted to get some life back into the Admiral if he was going to work with him. This wasn't a job meant for droids.

* * *

Luke had spent the next days in between the dining hall, his personal quarters directly attached to Piett's and the bolted room. He had finally got the hang of all the information and had met the other officers working in it. It was a small team, highly trained on investigation, and none of them spoke much.

His droids on Tatooine talked more than they did.

He still couldn't feel Vader anywhere, until one day Piett and him were walking down the corridors and Luke felt him like a punch in the stomach. He stopped walking and curled on himself a bit, and Piett turned to look at him, never breaking his deadpan. “Commander?”

Vader was getting closer, but he wasn't on the ship yet. “I'm alright, let’s go.” he said, and took a deep breath. He felt the Force vibrating around him, and his mind felt cold.

The day went on as usual, with Luke insisting that they had to take pauses and have meals, and with Piett slowly accepting that as long as he worked with the Commander he would have to listen to him.

They were in the bolted room, with all the members of the team gone, and Piett was busy trying to figure out a discreet route towards Corellia.

They were planning a staged attack in a few days. Half of the ships would be painted rebel, the others would be imperial. According to their intel this should attract the Insurrection fleet, since they wanted both the Empire and the Rebellion out of the map, and the Empire could identify the foreign ships easier.

It was highly discreet. Any wrong move and they would lose entire squadrons and weeks worth of preparation. Luke had explained to the mechanics of the hangar how the rebel ships worked and where to find similar models. 

It was then that Luke felt Vader approaching, and he took a deep breath. The door opened and Vader walked in. 

Piett straightened his back. “Lord Vader.”

Luke stood up from his chair, still feeling some pain in the belly from the Force surprise. “Sir.”

Vader spoke. “Report.”

Luke listened as Piett reported everything they have done when it came to Corellia. Since Vader was wearing the mask, Luke couldn't make out his emotions. Vader's attention was fully on Piett, so he barely noticed how Luke scanned him. As soon as he brushed Vader's mind, his hand winced at the cold. 

Darth Vader was miserable, and he was staring at the other side of the room as if there was someone there.

Luke retreated back into his own mind and slowly put his shields up so Vader wouldn't sense his intrusion. Vader had left for an entire week, and Piett didn't tell him where to. If it was something related to their investigation he would have been informed.

“Commander?” repeated Piett with a cough, trying to get his attention.

Luke snapped out of it. “Yes?”

Piett wanted to say something but sighed. “We are now trying to establish a common ground to lead the attack.”

“Very well. Keep me informed.” said Vader, his voice numb of emotion even through the vocoder.

Luke was watching him like a prey. Something was off.

Vader's attention was still on the wall on the other side of the room, and Luke turned to look at it, but found nothing there. Vader left the room, taking one last glance at the wall.

The Force was uneasy around Vader.

But when was it not?

*** * ***   
  


Once Vader was inside his private quarters and the door securily locked, he took his helmet off and didn't bother to turn on the lights. He rolled down to the floor and suppressed a sob.

She had been following him everywhere for days now.

Even if she was dead.

Yet there she stood, just as he remembered her — a memory that he tried to keep alive. He had so much on his mind it was so easy to forget a person that died twenty years ago, so he tried his hardest not to, even if it pained him.

She was as he remembered her last before the Republic fell, in her blue silk nightgown, but she had flowers in her hair now. She had followed him around for days on end, blankly staring at him, a judging expression on her face.

The Force felt like humid air with spikes. Whenever he got closer to her, if he could bear it, the Force pinched him and he had to back away. Perhaps even her ghost didn't want him close.

He didn't blame her, even if she wasn't real.

From the ground and in darkness he could see her standing on the other side of the room, her silhouette light blue and blurry. She gave away a cold fog that engulfed the room easily, and it was only the two of them again.

Vader wasn't sure he could take this torture any longer. His brain was trying to kill him. He stared at her with teary eyes, and as soon as she felt eyes on her, she looked away. 

"Padmé–" he pleaded in a weak voice from the floor. 

She glanced at him just once, and turned around to face the wall. 

Vader shut his eyes. "I'm so sorry." he pleaded to no one, in a room where he couldn't even see himself. He didn't even know what he was sorry for.

She turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Are you, now?" she asked, her voice cold.

Vader's heart froze at her tone of voice. He knew she was a product of his imagination because Padmé had never spoken like that, not even when she was furious. This tone of voice was devoid of emotion, devoid of any life.

It belonged to a ghost.

"Your apologies don't change anything," she said calmly, a sharp edge on her tone, "Look what you have turned the galaxy into. Do you think I would approve of that?" she accused.

Vader hadn't heard her voice in decades. He had avoided recordings of her Senate speeches, holopictures of her as a Queen— he had pretended she hadn't existed. Lucky to him, the entire galaxy seemed to have forgotten her too.

But how could he?

How could he pretend she hadn't existed, when she had been in his mind every single day since he turned to the dark side? She was speaking to him now, and Vader wanted to fly off into space and open the ramp and let himself freeze to death.

"Oh, stop it," she spat, "Your self-pity will get you nowhere. If you were really sorry you would have done something to kill what you created. Sidious would be dead, slavery wouldn't still exist in the Outer Rim. I know these problems bother you, even if you will never admit it to yourself because you're too much of a coward to do so."

Vader hid his face in his hands, pressing harder with his mechanical one to feel something other than guilt. He knew that this wasn't her speaking, it was the Force. 

The same Force he had used to kill thousands was now killing him.

"Padmé, I-"

She groaned, annoyed. "So now I do exist? Interesting that you haven't acknowledged my existence for over a week that I have been following you."

"You are not real." he said.

She was silent. "No, but your guilt is real enough, Anakin."

It was all Anakin's fault. Vader clenched his jaw and looked up at her. "Do not call me that name. He is dead."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

Vader winced at the small anger rising within him. Anakin Skywalker was a disgrace, a fire that burnt himself to ashes. How could he ever reassume the identity that had destroyed him, _her_ and their _child?_

She tilted her head to look at him curiously, and chose not to comment on that, because the Force knew the truth: Anakin did not kill Padmé, and their child lived.

The Force felt said child coming closer, and made the ghost disappear. Vader didn't notice, his face still buried in his hands. 

Luke had been knocking on the door for five minutes already. He knew Vader was inside because he could feel him, but he still wasn't opening the door. He decided to throw caution out the window and used the Force to get inside. The room was in darkness, and Luke looked around but didn't see Vader anywhere. 

The Force spiked next to him, pointing at what he was searching for. He looked around at his feet and saw the man on the floor, sitting against the wall.

"Lord Vader?" asked Luke, hesitating. He was intruding, he knew he was, but he felt Vader's misery from the other side of the ship, what else was he supposed to do? Ignoring a screaming child would only lead to more screams, and the galaxy had had enough of Vader's rage.

Luke cursed himself for how fast he forgave people, even Darth Vader, who did not deserve anyone's forgiveness. He knelt in front of him, and saw a mop of blond hair buried inside his knees. Maybe he was ill again?

No, that wasn't it. Luke recognised the posture well enough. Force, was Vader _crying?_

"Lord Vader? Are you alright?" asked Luke, concerned. Asking such a normal question to someone that defied all definitions of normality felt weird.

Vader had vaguely heard someone coming and talking to him, but her voice still rang in his ears. It haunted him even more now, since she had decided to speak to him.

He hadn't spoken to her in two decades.

It was the first time in two decades that he saw the way her eyebrows moved and the rise of her chest when she breathed, always so calm– in and out, in and out, even when she was furious she never lost her composure. Her voice made any sentence feel like a song, even if the sentence was accusing and cold.

He hadn't heard _her_ in two decades, and it gave him the false illusion that she was real, in this same room with him, that she was still _alive_.

But she wasn't, and all that was left of her, including their child, were _dead_.

Luke tried using the Force but the room was void of it. It was like Vondarc all over again, where neither him nor Vader could use it. Had their presences collided again? Luke knew he was strong in the Force, and he knew Vader was stronger, so this might happen often— but he _had_ used the Force to open the door!

It was something else.

Luke froze when he realised.

Vader had exhausted the Force in the room. It was like he breathed all the oxygen and was now high on it, and Luke couldn't help but marvel at the supernova that was Darth Vader in the Force. This man could summon all the energy in the galaxy at his own fingertips, yet sometimes this energy failed him.

Suddenly all his years of having friends were useless to him. He didn't know what to do. How could he comfort someone who was the polar opposite of comfort? To feel better Vader probably went out to kill and hunt innocent people down, and then would smile as he would wipe off the blood from his gloves- 

No.

Force, how could Luke have ever believed this? To the galaxy, Darth Vader was a monster.

He was powerful, yes, no one could deny it. He was authoritative and commanded respect, but he was miserable. Darth Vader was a bomb of his own creation that only exploded inside his own soul, chattering everything inside him to pieces and then rebuilding itself to explode all over again. 

No wonder Vader's eyes were so empty of life. Everything inside him kept exploding, so what was left, if anything?

Luke sat down in front of him, crossing his legs. He looked at the man in front of him, who was starting to cry, and sighed. He couldn't do anything without startling him, and he didn't want to do that— Vader was armed and powerful, and probably had reserves of the Force that Luke didn't. Plus, he was in pain, and Luke knew better than to attack an injured vicious animal.

He decided to keep him company. 

Luke sat in silence, watching Vader hyperventilate occasionally and sometimes the Force returned to the room for a few seconds, but then it faded back into Vader. Luke felt like he was sitting in front of a sun, floating in the darkness and cold of space, and in this close proximity to the sun he could still feel its heat.

A long time passed and Luke was starting to fall asleep. He had closed the door and was now in complete darkness, the only light coming from a small viewport on the other side of the room that gave view to the stars.

Vader's senses were still clogged and he didn't notice anyone in the room, so he stayed on the floor. He couldn't feel her ghost anymore, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

Anakin had ruined everything Vader cared about: he deserved to die, yet Anakin's heart still beat in Vader's chest. He didn't know how to get rid of Skywalker without getting rid of his own self.

The Force laughed silently at the other Skywalker who was experiencing the same problems and couldn't get rid of his identity either. The Skywalker name was a self-imposed curse.

By the time Vader opened his eyes, Luke was already sleeping. Vader's eyelids felt heavy from exhaustion, and he blinked a few times to get the blurriness out. He saw something on the floor and titled his head, not believing what he was seeing.

The Commander was on the floor, asleep, using his own arm to support his head. The boy was stupid to trust him enough to lay down his defences in front of him.

But–

Was he stupid enough to?

To Darth Vader, people fell into two categories: they were either stupid and therefore had high chances of being killed, or they were tolerable and would live. Few people fell into the second category, Admiral Piett being the only exception, but Ben Starkiller...

Vader looked at him and felt something strange blossom in the hole inside his chest that his own misery had created. The boy, this strange boy he found by accident, who for some reason fell into his path all over again was positively soothing to him. 

While his mind usually ran miles per hour before meeting the Commander, now it only seemed to concentrate on his Force presence when he was nearby. Having the boy around was like breathing fresh air.

Ben Starkiller was powerful in the Force, but unlike Vader, his power did not destroy— it healed.

They were two sides of the same sun: one burned everything to ashes and spared no one. Some planets were uninhabited because the sun was too aggressive on its soil, and people had no choice but to leave because the sun destroyed everything that tried to live.

The other side of the sun helped plants grow and made life possible across the galaxy. Living creatures left their caves when the sun was out to bask under it, and returned to their caves when the sun left. This side of the sun meant life and new opportunities, and if exposed to the sun long enough in the right circumstances— it could also mean rebirth of all that was deemed abandoned and dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cries* 
> 
> I saw [this deviantart](https://www.deviantart.com/lisuli79/art/Vader-s-Conscience-654563767) and it inspired me to write Ghost!Padmé that is entirely product of Vader's haunted, grief driven imagination/unconscious. 
> 
> Also, the big question is: does Vader deserve Luke's kindness? I've been debating this for over ten chapters already and I am nowhere near to a conclusion.


	12. Around You

**"Sometimes you get so close to someone, you end up on the other side of them."**

They didn't speak about it. Vader acted like the Commander hadn't seen him cry, and Luke pretended not to remember it for Vader's sake. They only spoke about the Corellia mission.

Luke could feel that Vader was calmer though. Whatever it was that bothered him several days ago had clearly passed.

Vader thanked the Force for making her ghost disappear forever. She had died twenty years ago, she should stay dead. He had tried bringing her back hopelessly in the first years of the Empire, but failed. She was dead, and there was nothing he could do about it anymore.

The imperial fleet reached Corellia and occupied a small imperial building in the outskirts of the urban area. The building was underground and the main hangar was also inside, but behind the gate, on the outside, was an abandoned landing platform. It gave view to the city below them, even if it was blurry because of the smoke. 

Taking part in an imperial mission of this scale was exciting. There were pilots running all over the place, mechanics finishing pre-flight checking, and Luke felt himself transported back in the Alliance. After all, battle preparation was the same everywhere.

Except that the Alliance lacked financial resources, while the Empire had an endless budget. However, Vader never spent more than necessary and Luke wondered what background he came from. 

He never asked about Vader's past because he valued his own life. But from what he knew, the man didn't belong to an aristocratic family. He liked getting his hands dirty, and all the money they had to spend was for crucial things only, unlike other Moffs and Commanders that had useless estates all around the galaxy. 

Luke walked around the building with Admiral Piett, who was distracted by answering comms every few seconds. Luke had offered to help, Piett dismissed him and yet he couldn't leave his side without Vader getting angry, so Luke just followed him around silently. 

Vader was somewhere in the building, Luke could feel him, and he was busy going over the surveillance in the atmosphere. They needed to catch the foreign ships the moment they dropped out of hyperspace.

If they appeared, that is.

The mission was based on conditionals, and Luke could never imagine spending so much money on an experiment. 

Piett was in and out of calls, and Luke carried some of the files the passing officers gave to Piett. He laughed to himself at how ridiculous the situation was. If this was the Alliance, he would be in Vader's place; organising everything. And now he has simply carrying files. He wouldn't be surprised if Piett asked him for some caf.   
  
Luke wouldn't give it to him. The Admiral was stressed enough as it was.

They passed above the main hangar, and the viewports that gave view to all the ships below were open. Piett walked in front of him, so Luke stopped to stare. Half the ships were imperial painted, the others were rebel. Luke's heart was all over the place, but he was excited.

His senses picked something approaching, and he looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The main hangar door was slightly open at the top, and Luke heard engines.

Broken engines. 

Very loud and broken engines.

A ship flew over the base, and nobody but Luke noticed it. He jogged towards Piett, careful not to drop the files, and told him they should see if their mission had been compromised.

”What?” asked Piett, frowning at him, “No no, I am not talking to you. Wait–“ he said to the comm. “What?” he repeated to Luke.

”A ship just landed outside. We should check it out.”

Piett didn't hear him. He just sighed and let him go, and Luke handed him the files carefully and jogged towards the exit door.

Luke stepped outside and took a deep breath, even if Corellia's air was polluted. The planet was colder than he expected. It was early morning and the sun had just risen, even if it was slightly cloudy. 

He walked for a bit, following the sound of the engines, and stopped on his tracks.

The Millenium Falcon, as he last remembered it, as it always was and always will be: broken with metal pieces hanging, smoke coming from all available surfaces, someone screaming inside.

Luke approached it carefully, extending himself out into the Force to feel their pilots. The ramp opened and Han Solo ran to inspect a part of the ship that was on fire. “There's something wrong with the drive units!” he screamed.

Luke smiled. Some things never changed. He approached him closely, Han's back to him. “Hey.”

Han turned around fast, pointing his blaster at him. “Luke?”

Luke's fight or flight instincts were numb by this point. He had a blaster pointed at him and didn't even flinch. Being around Vader had his advantages, he supposed.

Luke also hadn't heard his name spoken out loud in weeks. “Shh. Be quiet!” he shushed him, and then jogged towards Han, pulling him into a hug. 

“Where the hell have you been?” asked Han once they broke the hug.

“Oh, you know— here and there.” smiled Luke, blushing at the lie. He had been lying to Piett for weeks by calling himself Ben Starkiller, and even longer to Vader, and he didn't hesitate to do it. But the moment he had to lie to his friend...

Han raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing in Corellia? We were worried sick! After you disappeared with that creepy man we couldn't find you anywhere.”

Of course they couldn't. If the Alliance could infiltrate Darth Vader's flagship they were all done for. “I'm fine, haven't got a scratch on me,” he reassured him with a smile, “Did you finish that job?”

“Yeah, ran into some more pirates but we're fine. Something's wrong with the drive units now though.” said Han.

“Think you can fix it? It's not really safe to be stranded here.” said Luke. To Captain Solo of the Alliance, it wasn't safe to be stranded here. This place was going to be a battle scene in a few hours.

“Says you,” said Han seriously and Luke swallowed. “Listen, I know you can't come back to the Alliance, but you can come with me and Chewie. We could use a pair of extra hands. You said you would, right?”

“I'd love to, Han, but what I'm doing now is important. I'll find you when I'm done.”

If he was ever done.

“What are you doing that's so important?” asked Han.

If only he knew.

Luke struggled to find the right words. “I cannot tell you.”

Han raised his arms. “Fine, I get it. Client confidentiality and all that.”

Luke felt a presence coming closer and shuddered. He turned around and saw Piett across the landing platform, all but a small grey dot. His arms were raised and urging him to come back.

Luke's comm beeped and he excused himself and took a few steps back. He waved at Piett. “Yes?”

“What are you doing?!” asked Piett, putting emphasis on each word, “You are under strict orders not to disobey Lor-”

Luke cut him before he could say the name. “I know, I know. I was just talking to a friend, I'll be right back.”

“This is a direct act of disobedience, Commander. I will not stand by it. Under any circumstances did I tell you to leave the building.”

Han walked closer to him. “Commander? You ain't a Commander no more kid. Who is this?” 

Piett heard whispering. “Commander, come back immediately or this will be notified to Lord Vader.” 

Luke closed his eyes.

Han's presence in the Force shook with confusion, terror and curiosity, as most people did when they heard Vader's name.

“I will be with you in a moment, Admiral. Go back inside, it is not safe out here.” said Luke politely. Piett nodded, even if Luke couldn't see it from that far, and went back inside.

Han had taken a few steps back and was eyeing him up and down, noticing the lack of colors in his very formal wardrobe, and a small badge that hung from his belt. Luke looked paler than usual, and his hair was shorter. His expression wasn't of that carefree Commander he knew a few months ago - now he looked determined, focused, and had a sharp look on his eyes. Luke's powers were usually all over the place, but now they seemed contained, like concentrated gas in a sealed tank that would burn your skin if you touched it.

“That is an imperial Admiral you spoke to,” said Han slowly. “You're working for Darth Vader?”

Luke opened his mouth to protest, but the words died on his tongue.

He was.

Han didn't need Luke to answer to know the truth. He took more steps backwards, still eyeing Luke up and down, until he collided against the ramp supporters. “Why? The Alliance did everything they could for you, they–”

Luke raised his hands on the air. “I know they did. I'm not an imperial, Han. I'm just here on a small job.” he said, trying to convince himself more than him. He had been living on the Executor for the last two weeks, had befriended an Imperial Admiral and had seen Vader at his lowest. There was no going back from there.

“Then why do you have a badge–" protested Han.

Luke had enough. “Han, there is a direct threat to the Rebellion and the Empire. Bigger than anything we've ever seen, and Vader wants to stop it.” he blurted out, and noticed how he had said Rebellion instead of Alliance. Weeks in imperial company did that to you.

Han frowned. “Why would Vader want to stop a threat to the Alliance?” 

“He doesn't. It's also a threat to the Empire, and they've been operating under our nose for months. Vader contacted me to lead an ongoing investigation to stop it, and here I am. I'm not an imperial.”

“On Corellia? What does Vader have to do with Corellia?” asked Han.

Luke wasn't sure how much he could reveal to him. He had already said too much. “I can't tell you.”

“Why haven't you informed High Command of this?” asked Han, offended.

Luke snorted. “How can I? I am forbidden from contacting them.” he said melodically, far too loud, arms raised dramatically. 

“But they will want to hear this! If even the Empire is scared of this...whatever it is, then they definitely should know too!” said Han.

Luke hadn't noticed how his fists were shaking by his sides. “No!” he said, and Han's eyes glimmered with fear. “This is something the Empire has to take care of, not them.” 

Han exhaled and looked at the ground. “You even sound like an imperial.”

“I'm serious, Han.” 

“So am I. You leave the Alliance for a two weeks and come back like this. Do you know how bad this looks?”

Luke didn't answer. He didn't care about looks, he cared about efficiency. “I am trying to spare the Alliance more trouble! Who cares about what they think!”

“More trouble? More trouble?! One of their most trusted Commanders is now an Imp! How much have you told Vader?!” asked Han, accusing him of treason.

Luke was shaking now. “I haven't said a word about the Alliance. I'm here to help you both, not act as a spy.” he said through clenched teeth. 

“Well, at least being a spy would be much more useful than inventing some threat that doesn't exist so you could spare me the bad news, huh?” spat Han.

Oh.

Luke laughed. “I am not inventing anything.”

“Yeah, let me believe the Empire is scared of something invisible.” spat Han, “If it is real then High Command should know about it. Actually I'm suprised that they don't.”

Luke didn't think twice before speaking. “They don't care about me. If they did, I wouldn't be here.”

Being with Piett and Vader did a good job in distracting him from the fact that the Alliance had kicked him out. But that didn't mean it still didn't hurt. 

“'Cause look how well that's ended up for you, huh? Shouldn't you go back to your Admiral and plot against the Alliance, _Commander Skywalker?_ ” spat Han. Luke closed his eyes and ignored how the Force was pinching his skin, trying to get some of the anger out of his body. 

“Enough!” he exclaimed, and walked towards Han. “I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this because I still care about the Alliance, and even if they don't want to hear from me ever again I will continue to fight for what I believe is right.”

His hand was shaking, and he ignored Han's scared eyes. Neither of them had seen each other so stretched to their own limits. “I don't care what you think of me now, because wanna know the truth? The Empire currently has a bigger threat than the Rebellion, and I suggest you tell High Command that. They could use this time to think of better strategies to win the war now that Vader's distracted. You can turn the tide towards you. This is what I think. I am already risking my neck everyday by working with him just so the people I care about can be safe, even if they don't want to see me. Tell High Command this, but I'm sure they'll prioritize my current position more than my reasons for being here, _Captain Solo_.” he said fast, out of breath.

Luke let Han go with a small push. The bond he shared with Vader was pulsating in curiosity and Luke hadn't realized how much anger he had spilled. The last thing he needed was Vader showing up here.

Han laughed coldly. “I'll tell High Command to blast Vader next time he's on sight. We’ll get you out of here.” 

They would die before the shot left the blaster.

Luke wanted to agree, but a feeling inside him was telling him that some part of that sentence was wrong. He realized he didn't want to get out of there. He wanted to stay, and he didn't want Vader dead.

Han saw through him, again. He snorted, half-smiling, eyes gleaming with suppressed tears. “But you don't want that, do you?” his voice broke.

Luke was out of breath. “Han, I-”

Han nodded. “You betrayed a cause you swore to die for..." he murmured, and Luke was so exhausted that he didn’t notice how Han's hand had slowly pressed a button on his comm, “...and I'll make sure High Command knows this. I'm sending a transmission now to send any available squadrons to Corellia to inform of an oncoming imperial attack towards citizens led by Command-”

It was too late.

Luke shouted. “NO!”

Acting solely on instincts and fear, Luke used the Force to break the comm in half before Han could finish the sentence.

He was so tired. If actual rebel ships appeared, they would ruin their investigation. The Empire would be outmatched by the insurrection fleet, which they were ready for, and additional rebel ships would make them lose the battle.

He was so tired. He held back tears and watched as Han looked at him with terror. 

“What does Vader have on you?” he whispered, frowning and keeping distance from him as if Luke was a dangerous animal. The clouds above them became stormy, and his bond with Vader was fully shaking now, the other man actively pushing on his mind to demand answers. 

“He has nothing on me. He saved my life.”

Han frowned, but he was hyper aware of the distance between Luke and him, and he realized that he wanted to put even more distance between them. Luke was pale under the dark grey clouds, and he had never seen him so out of touch with reality.

“Is this what you call saving your life?!” shouted Han.

Luke was out of breath, confused as to why it started raining. There weren't any clouds when he left the building. He was vaguely aware of the drops of water on his hair, but he couldn't ignore the strange buzzing inside his mind. His mind was clouded.

“...I saved his too.” he confessed, gaze lost on the ground. He was so tired of everyone asking something from him, demanding him to play a role.

Luke repeated himself, wanting to hear his voice again. It grounded him a bit. “I saved his life too, several times, did you know that?” he whispered, frowning at Han through wet blond hair that now stuck to his eyes. He was strangely calm, his own anger simply background music.

Han didn't know what to believe anymore. Luke looked like someone else. There was no life in those eyes. “You're lying. The Luke I know would never save that monster.”

Monster.

Luke smirked briefly, eyes still lost in the ground. He didn't like that word. He was tired of antagonizing perfectly un-monstery people. Was he a monster to the Alliance also? 

“The Luke you knew has been through a lot.” said Luke calmly, clenching his jaw. He frowned at how his hair had suddenly dried, and noticed that the wind was starting to pick up speed. The rain was starting to get into his eyes— and he didn't bother to rub them.

Han Solo, for all his years of flying across the galaxy, had never seen the weather change so fast in a matter of minutes. 

“Yeah, he's now an imp!” he shouted through the storm. He would get to the bottom of what happened to Luke. None of this was right.

“I am not an imp.” repeated Luke calmly.

Han needed the proof. “Why don't you show me that badge then.”

Luke's hand moved on instinct, and he took his badge from his belt and elevated it towards Han using the Force. Han read through all the droplets that stuck to the plastic covering of the badge: _Commander Starkiller. Stationed: Darth Vader's flagship. To report directly to Admiral Piett._

Han suppressed a sob. “You're truly gone!” he screamed. The badge flew back to Luke with a speed Han deemed impossible. “But thanks for telling me about your little work in the Empire, I'm sure High Command will enjoy this new organisation that has Vader peeing his pants!”

Han walked back inside and Luke realized the gravity of Han's words. The Rebellion couldn't know about their investigation.

Luke was crying. He felt like a ball bouncing between two walls that were in millimetric distance from each other.

Why couldn't Han just understand–

“I'm telling you to forget about everything I said,” shouted Luke icily, and the sky above him roared with thunder, “and do not say a word to High Command about any of this."

He was fully aware of his senses now. He looked around at the city and saw that all the power was out. Only the lights of the Millenium Falcon shone on his face, but he still couldn't see properly with all the rain.

Han stopped and turned to look at him. His eyes were lost and he looked at peace. “I will forget about everything you said and will not say a word to High Command about any of this.”

Luke felt a shiver ran through his bones. He couldn't breathe. No- no, he didn't mean to– “Han? Han!”

Han was already gone, and he heard the ship trying to fly away but the smoke kept coming out of the drive units.

Luke reached out into the Force and saw a piece that had been unscrewed, so he screwed it back and watched the Falcon fly away. Inside the cockpit, Han didn't remember ever seeing Luke here, and tried to answer Chewbacca's questions on how he repaired the drive units. He didn't even remember that they needed repair.

Luke stood there, numb and scared, and took a deep breath. It came out as shaky and the power in the city briefly came back on, but disappeared when he fell to his knees. 

The clouds above him were pouring enough rain that it flooded the landing platform, and some water dripped down towards the city. The view from the cliff was beautiful, even if people across the galaxy insisted that Corellia was not. 

* * *

**TEN MINUTES EARLIER**

Deep inside the building, Darth Vader was distracted because the bond he shared with Starkiller was shaking. The Commander was _terrified_.

He commed Admiral Piett immediately. “Where is Commander Starkiller?” he demanded. He didn't like the worry in his own voice, even through the mask.

Piett stopped on his tracks. He turned around and saw that the boy was gone. “I'm afraid I do not know sir. He excused himself fifteen minutes ago.” 

Vader could feel Starkiller's guilt grow stronger.

He ordered Piett to find him since he was nearer to the boy. He left the room, deciding to find him himself, and halfway through, the lights in the building went off.

He found the closest electrical box and opened it. The power should be working perfectly fine, then why-

The Commander was shaking in frustration, and his energy through the Force was like an epicenter of an earthquake. The Force was completely at his will.

Vader finally reached the exit door and opened it with shaky hands. He felt out of breath the closer he was to Starkiller, almost as if he didn't want Vader around. He had to push through air as if he was trying to run underwater.

There was a thunderstorm in Corellia. The sun was covered by dark clouds, and if Vader didn't know that it was early morning he would have thought it was night time. He couldn't see anything because the lights in the city were also out. 

He looked up and saw that the clouds were spinning unnaturally. His comm was beeping every few seconds, all from different sources, no doubt asking if their mission had been compromised.

Had it been compromised? If the storm didn't stop, it would be. The ships above Corellia updated him on the meteorological changes in the atmosphere, and twenty minutes ago they affirmed everything was according to plan.

He was swept off his feet by a strong rush of wind and crashed back against the exit door. He considered going back inside, but saw a bright dot fly away into the clouds and frowned. The area was patrolled, no ship was allowed to land or leave.

The Force exploded near him, and he saw a figure on the other side of the landing platform. When the power came back to the city for a few seconds, he could recognise the shadow.

The Commander.

Of course it was the Commander. Vader didn't know anyone else that could startle the Force like this and bend it at his own will. He had never tried affecting the weather to this point. It wasn't possible.

The Commander didn't seem to care, because the rain bounced off him and into the puddles on the ground. Was he trying to _destroy_ that ship? It wouldn't make it past the storm.

Vader tried using the Force to calm down the wind, but the Force paid him no attention. Ben Starkiller was the cause of the change of weather as well as its cure.

He was struggling to breathe. Being in close proximity to the Commander didn't do him good, even if he could barely see him from the distance.

He tried tugging on the bond, but it burned him. The Commander had closed himself off and was unapproachable, physically and mentally. 

He waited for him to come back to the building, but the boy wasn't moving. Vader took a step forward and cringed at the barrier the Commander had created around him. It was like walking through gelatine.   
  
The wind was starting to pick up speed, and in a few minutes Vader reached him out of pure spite. 

The boy was on his knees, staring at the ground. He was sitting in a puddle of water because the asphalt wasn't smooth and some puddles were deeper than others. He didn't seem to notice, or care.

The rain bounced off of him and Vader had to do a double take to confirm that his sight was correct. The Commander was sitting in a bubble of air, but his hair and clothes were wet. His gaze was lost and his breathing calm. If the sky didn't look apocalyptic, Vader would think he was meditating. He tried scanning him through the Force to see what was wrong, but found that the Commander's mind was all over the place, like a hurricane spinning around itself and not moving.

Being physically close to him was nauseating. Any other person would simply be pushed back from all the energy that was coming off of him. With each beat of Starkiller's heart, he gave off a self-protective energy. The ground under his feet was starting to shake.

Vader's bones were aching and even breathing was painful. He couldn't move without cringing, but luckily his mechanic hand did not feel the pain. He extended his hand, reaching past the wind and the strange gelatine-like waves of energy, and placed it on the boy's shoulder. He ignored how it was literally burning him.

The wind stopped abruptly. 

The boy turned around slowly and blinked a few times, not recognising him. The wind picked up speed again and there was panic in the boy's eyes.

Vader took his mask off quickly and raised his hands in the air. The rain made his hair stick to his face, and the droplets were making his skin itch, but he didn't dare move.

The boy stared at him, a small frown on his face. He blinked a few times and spoke softly. "Lord Vader?”

He was slowly coming back from the tornado. Vader nodded slowly, feeling the Force escaping from Starkiller's gravity. It came back to him, his senses easing the pain in his bones, but it still fluctuated between the boy and him, confused at the two gravitational centres. 

"What happened?" asked Vader as calmly as he could. Any wrong move or word, and the boy might hurt him. Either by accident or not.

It didn't matter.   
  
The boy turned away from him, his movements much more natural and fast. He looked at the skyscrapers on the horizon. “I couldn't stop him.” he confessed. 

Vader was not expecting this. He thought only something grave and life-shattering could send the calm Commander to this state. “Him?” he asked.

The boy nodded, holding his knees close to his chest. “Captain Solo.” he said, aware that he shouldn't have said his name to Vader.

Vader frowned, trying to place the name. His eyebrows rose when he remembered. “The smuggler from Vondarc?” he asked incredulously. He crossed his arms even more and suppressed a shiver. The rain was cold, and the temperature in Corellia was already low.

Starkiller nodded and sniffled. It was getting cold. He probably shouldn't be sitting in a pool of water, but he didn't care. 

“And the smuggler caused you to start a storm and shut down all the electricity?” asked Vader. 

The bubble around the boy disappeared, and the rain landed on his skin. His eyes widened and he stood up on shaky knees. “I did what?!” he asked, bewildered.

Vader nodded slowly. The Force was almost back to normal now. He had to keep him talking. “You must learn to control your emotions, Commander. You cannot start a storm everywhere you go, especially if you go undercover.” 

The boy opened his mouth to speak but words were beyond him. “How do I stop this?” he asked, looking up at the sky.

Vader blinked. The Commander had claimed to be self-taught in the Force, but even younglings knew how to control their emotions. “You need to let go of what is creating your anger.”

Starkiller exhaled and closed his eyes. The Force started moving around his silhouette again, and Vader took a step back. He crushed all emotions of worry and protectiveness that appeared inside of him. They had been there since he saw the Commander alone, in the rain, a lost gaze in his eyes.

This wasn't the time for self-reflection. They didn't have time.

The boy spoke. “I can't do it.”

“You do not have any other choice,” he said calmly, surprised at his own tone of voice. He felt like he was watching himself as a padawan. “You are furious, Commander, you should–”

The boy laughed sadly. “What? Think happy thoughts?”

Vader blinked. “Yes.”

“That simple?” 

They looked at each other, and the boy took a deep breath again. The ground shook, and Vader looked up at the sky and saw the clouds slowly dissipating. If they had the time, he would be amazed at the scenery. He had never seen anyone bend nature at his own will so fast. “It is working. Keep going.”

The Force floated like water around the boy, going from hot to cold in seconds. The rain was affected by it too, and Vader closed his eyes at the warm water on his cold skin.  
  
After some minutes it stopped raining. The clouds were light grey and the electricity around the city came back. Vader looked around and saw the puddles slowly evaporating in the asphalt.

Vader smiled, mesmerised. 

He would never recognise the strange feeling in his chest as pride. The sensation felt weird on his face, and he stopped smiling when the boy opened his eyes. 

The Commander looked at the sky and grinned shyly. He looked at Vader, who stood impassive in front of him, and nodded curtly. “Thank you,” he said sincerely, and then realised that he had wasted their time, “I apologize for all of this, I got carried away. It will not happen again.“

Carried away?

Starkiller called _that_ getting carried away? Vader had to crush a feeling he couldn't quite place— a feeling of recognition, of some familiarity. 

The Commander jogged back towards the building, and Vader watched the puddle under his feet as if it was the most interesting thing in the galaxy. It was in that moment that he swore not to hand the boy over to Sidious if he was ever found.

Even if it meant killing his Master.

Sidious would ruin Ben Starkiller, and Vader couldn't let that happen.


	13. Suspected Trust

**“What do you do with tenderness when all you expect is fury?”  
  
**

The silence stretched for long enough for it to become awkward. Luke stared at Vader, who wore the mask again, and wondered if he could get one too. It would avoid thinking where to look at. 

Luke told him what happened with Han, and how Han informed the Rebellion of their mission on Corellia. The storm he caused by accident was result of that, as well as pent-up frustrations from the last months, but he wouldn't tell Vader this last part.

"You compromised our mission." said Vader slowly.

Luke felt like he was being glared at. "Yes.”

Vader tapped his fingers on the desk. "The rebels are coming here." he said, more to himself than to Luke. 

This felt more like an interrogation than a simple chat. "Maybe." he answered, he didn't know! Vader continued staring at him, and Luke knew that he would have to tell the truth before Vader had a breakdown. "The Rebellion kicked me out a month ago. I can't do anything to stop the attack."

Vader froze. From all the things he expected the Commander to say, this was not it.

Luke smiled awkwardly. "I would tell you, eventually. Thought now would be a good time."

Vader closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was supervising dozens of activities at the same time, but the Commander's announcement made him forget everything. "When did this happen?" he asked, trying to keep his patience in check. The Commander asked to speak to him. The hangar below was bursting with activity, he had pilots to instruct, Admiral Piett had commed him seven times already–

"Before we met on Vondarc,” explained Luke, not sensing Vader's stress and impatience, “I took that job with the Captain to keep myself busy, and then I ran into you. Then we were busy with the investigation and it never seemed the right time.”

Vader didn't see what the problem was. “You should have told me. Your silence did more damage than the truth.”

The truth. How could Vader, master of sensing lies, not have sensed that Luke wasn't telling the entire truth? His freedom depended on his hame. Being a Skywalker was a curse in the Empire. That and destroying the death star. 

"I am telling you now. High Command has forbidden me from contacting them, so I can't stop the attack." said Luke.

Vader raised his hands to rub his face, but they collided against the helmet. He removed it with a groan, and Luke froze. Vader was getting used to being helmet-less around him.

Was that a good thing?

Luke didn't know how someone could live inside a helmet all day, so he didn't protest. Vader ran his hands through his hair, that was still wet from the rain Luke caused, and closed his eyes.  
  
In these rare moments when Vader had his defences down, he even looked...normal. Like he wasn't going to be the future Emperor—if they didn't find Palpatine— or like he wasn't the most important man in the galaxy right now.

When Luke was in the Rebellion, and before he met Vader, he used to speak his name in the shadows, just in case any imperials were listening. To some stormtroopers, serving under Vader or seeing him in battle was considered a privilege. The civilians that were lucky enough to have never met him, thought Vader was a mystical figure. Everyone agreed that saying his name might summon him, so nobody spoke it. It was bad luck.

The name of Darth Vader had more legends around it than the Force did. No one knew anything about him, other than he appeared at the beginning of the Empire and commanded the military. These were the only objective facts about him, the rest were rumours.

People thought he was a droid programmed for battle, a clone of the Emperor or his secret son. He must have an evil cave somewhere where he keeps prisoners and tortures them. 

Luke heard a million stories from all across the galaxy about him, but now that he had the man in front of him...

They were all wrong.

Darth Vader was just a man. He sometimes lived too invested in his work, but sometimes Luke thought that Vader didn't live at all. When he was concentrating, his yellow eyes lost saturation, as if he transported himself to another dimension just to think. Now he was staring at the desk, his brows occasionally furrowing, his hands slightly shaking.

He finally spoke. "There is no time to properly prepare for battle against both the Insurrection and the Rebellion," he explained, and Luke stared at the yellow eyes. He didn't find them scary anymore. 

Vader tilted his head to look at him, "You still hold your position as Commander in the Rebellion?" he said. It was more a statement than a question, but Vader's tone of voice made everything sound like an order.

"Sort of?" asked Luke, frowning. He didn't understand where Vader was going with this, but the man was a strategical genius. He must have a plan.

"If you were given a rebel ship, would the rebels trust your command to leave the planet?" asked Vader.

The rebels didn't trust him anymore, that's why they kicked him out. They wouldn't blast him if they saw him, he hadn't done anything mortally wrong to the Rebellion, but-"

"I'm not their Commander anymore. They follow someone else's orders," said Luke bitterly. “I can't tell them to retreat because my word means nothing now.”

Vader didn't even notice the bitterness. "What are the chances they would follow your command?" 

Luke blinked. "Close to zero."

Vader looked at him, and Luke knew he just gave himself an order. "Fine, I'll go. But what if they don't listen to me? What's the plan then?"

"They will."

Luke didn't know why Vader was so confident in his abilities as a Commander, but he didn't feel like arguing with him. Vader looked exhausted beyond his years. "Are you still going to the Inner Core dinners?" 

"Yes," answered Vader in a monotone voice, "Now that you are not a rebel anymore, you should understand the importance of maintaining a stable political climate in the galaxy." he said with disgust. His hatred at politicians could be seen from systems away.

Luke snorted quietly. "All due respect, the Emperor is still missing and we are staging a fake battle in Corellia to identify mysterious terrorists. I don't see political peace here. And by the way, won't the politicians wonder why you're there instead of the Emp–"

Vader had already left the room. He had work to do.

*** * *  
  
**

Piett stared at the wall in front of him, barely blinking, too confused and startled to look alive.

 _Weeks_ of preparation for that day. 

"My Lord, I understand the Commander has acquaintances in the Rebellion, but I doubt it will be enough to convince them not to attack."

Piett was still processing that the Commander had ties to the Rebellion. The boy must have been very special to still be by Vader's side after this. Why wasn't Piett informed of this before? He spent countless hours off duty with the Commander— having lunch, walking around the flagship during breaks... Why didn't nobody bother to tell him this information?

Vader stood in front of him, still as a statue. "If he does not convince them, he will at least distract them, and we will retreat." 

Piett needed to sit down.

"Yes Admiral, we will retreat. We do not have enough squadrons to engage in a real battle.” said Vader, knowing what Piett was thinking. He didn't need to read minds to know that their team had worked day and night to prepare for today. Piett's reaction was understandable.

The Admiral still didn't know what attracted the rebels to send their fleet to Corellia in the first place, but it wasn't the time to drop the bomb yet— they didn't have time. 

He regrouped with Luke in the main hangar. All pilots were getting ready for attack, and stopped when Vader walked by, Commander Starkiller next to him. They reached a rebel ship and Luke smiled at it.

"They did a fantastic job with this," he whispered, mesmerised, and saw Vader crossing his arms. Luke climbed in and couldn't stop smiling. He tried the controls, the lights, and wondered if he could keep the ship. Vader knocked on the cockpit glass, annoyed, and Luke quickly pressed a button to lift it up.

He mumbled an apology and let Vader speak. "Can the rebels intercept which comm channel you are connected to?" asked Vader. “If they notice you are connected to an identified source, they might suspect.”

Luke doubted the pilots had time to check details like this. When he was a pilot, he only stared at what's in front of him. "No but I will be connected to theirs."

"Contact me immediately afterwards.” ordered Vader.

"I will." said Luke, and pressed the button to put the cockpit glass down. He didn't hear how Vader told him to stay out of danger, and didn't see how he didn't leave the hangar until the ship disappeared out of sight.

Luke flew into atmosphere and saw a group of rebel ships dropping out of hyperspace. He entered the comm codes and prayed that they haven't changed them in his absence. “Red Five, copy."

It was so long, the words felt strange. There was static, and his comm connected to the line. He heard someone speak. "Red Five?! Is that you?!"

Luke smiled. "Yes! What are you doing on Corellia?"

"We were sent from the Rendili base, heard there's imps here."

Luke was there to do a job, not to talk to old friends, as much as he wanted to. Last time he spoke to an old friend he accidentally created a storm. "There's nothing here, you should leave," he said as calmly as he could, “I've been in Corellia for a few days, and I'm telling you there are no imps here." he said, thinking about Piett and Vader below.

"Well, we still gotta check."

"It's a waste of fuel, trust me. Who gave the order anyway?" asked Luke. 

"Captain Solo."

"I outrank him."

"You don't hold any rank in the Alliance anymore, Luke. Sorry."

Luke panicked. This was bad. Han really did send the message, so they were listening to him, but–

It pained him to do this, but he saw no other way to convince them. Han didn't remember sending the message because Luke erased that from his memory, by accident.

But was it an accident, really? 

The Force flew around him in circles, eyeing him suspiciously. Luke ignored his feelings and spoke. "Contact Captain Solo again and ask him if you should proceed with the attack."

After a few moments, the pilot said Luke was right, and Luke relaxed. "What did he say?"

"To be polite, he said there's nothing to do in Corellia and that we were idiots, and...asked about the weather? What's he on about? Said there was a storm?"

Luke laughed and told them it was over now, and the ships flew back to Rendili. As soon as they disappeared to hyperspace, Luke immediately commed Vader, and flew back. "The rebel fleet has retreated."

"No, they are here."

Luke stopped. "What? They just left to hyperspace. I've seen to it."

"No, there is a rebel fleet here, _now_."

Luke landed and found Piett and Vader. They were in a small room in complete darkness. There were screens all over the walls, and they were supervising the battle outside from many different points. It was supposed to be staged.

Luke saw real rebel ships fighting against imperials. "This is impossible. They told me they left, I saw them leaving just now!" exclaimed Luke, out of breath from running.

Piett spoke. "They must have known of the battle beforehand."

"That's impossible!" exclaimed Luke.

Vader interrupted. "Nothing is impossible, Commander. Have you told any rebel of the attack beforehand?" he accused.

Luke's mouth fell open at the accusation. "Other than the Captain, no! The fleet he sent has just left to hypserspace. Check the Force, I'm not lying. I've been planning this mission for weeks, why would I sabotage it?"

Vader knew he wasn't lying. "They must have gotten the information from somewhere inside the Empire."

Piett froze. "My Lord, do you mean to say that–“

Vader finished the sentence. "I believe we have a spy."

Silence.

Luke rubbed his eyes and leaned against the wall. "There is no way a spy could have infilitrated our investigation without us knowing. The team was assembled months before I even came in."

Vader crossed his arms. "Perhaps the spy was there all along and got bribed to send intel to the Insurrection...Admiral, do not allow anyone to leave the building. Make sure that our investigation team remains here."

"Yes, my Lord." said Piett, nodding and leaving the room. Luke and Vader were left alone, and Luke sat in Piett's chair, next to Vader. He looked at the battle and sighed. "This is a disaster."

Vader didn't answer. 

Luke continued. "If someone inside the investigation has been reporting all our progress to the Insurrection, we would have wasted _weeks_."

"Dwelling in the past is of no use now." said Vader, "The spy _will_ be found."

Luke didn't like the implications of Vader finding a traitor. 

Vader spoke. "I will be on Imperial Centre for the next week, I leave you in charge of finding the spy while I am gone. Trust only the Admiral, and do not voice your suspicions to anyone."

Luke blinked. "Why me?"

Vader didn't think twice. "You are competent and Force-sensitive. I found Celissa Vanis in the rebel base using the Force, I trust you will find the spy in the Executor." 

Luke didn't know if he was competent enough to do that, but he at least had to try. 

**TWO DAYS LATER — THE EXECUTOR**

Vader had left for Imperial Centre on obligatory politician dinners, since the Emperor couldn't attend, and Luke kept postponing getting the entire team together to find the spy.

He needed a plan. Vader might be able to walk into a room and sense everyone's intentions, but Luke couldn't. Celissa Vanis was infiltrated in the Rebellion for weeks and he didn't even sense her. 

Luke couldn't figure out a plan, so to clear his head he decided to check whatever archives the Executor had. He wasn't expecting a library like those he heard about on Coruscant's top levels, or like those Leia spoke about in the Alderaanian Palace. If Vader didn't talk to him and keep his end of the promise, he would investigate the death of his father himself.

He asked around and found a room with digital archives. He used the clearance codes Vader gave him, which were very restrictive and nothing worth to the Rebellion. It only gave access to the holonet and the imperial database of the Academy. Still, these access codes were more than the Rebellion ever had.

His first instinct was to dive straight in and search for his father's name, but his activity was likely monitored.

Luke had an idea that would infuriate Vader if he ever found out, but he did it nonetheless. After thirty standard minutes, he was invisible in the archives. Being friends with a smuggler had its advantages. Chewie taught him all sorts of things about the holonet, half of them illegal. Luke didn't care— he destroyed the death star, how more illegal could his existence get? 

He typed his father's name, all he had left of him, with shaky fingers. The Force was behaving oddly around him, and Luke felt anxiety settling in his heart. 

The imperial archives had nothing on Anakin Skywalker, like he never existed. This happened to him the first time he tried finding what happened to his father: the holonet had nothing on him. He had hopes that the imperial archives would have at least some data.

Luke would take anything at this point.

He knew nothing of his mother, and would eventually try to research her too, but it would be harder. He didn't even know her name. At least he knew his father's. He could start with that.

A General during the Clone Wars had to be documented somewhere... but his father _was_ a Jedi and all traces of them had been erased. That would explain it, but he had also fought in one of the most important galactic wars of recent history. There had to be records of his existence _somewhere_.

He searched for all variations of the name and the duties of his father from the stories he heard: General, Jedi, Soldier, Clone Wars, The Grand Army of The Republic, Kenobi.

Nothing.

It's like he never existed.

Luke left the archives feeling more confused than he entered. He went back towards his quarters to meditate, and ran into Piett. The man ignored him completely, but Luke sensed there was something he wanted to ask.

”Firmus.”

Piett turned around. He hardly ever heard his own name in a world filled with official titles. “Yes, Commander?”

“Can we talk?” asked Luke, and opened the door to his quarters. Piett glared at him, but entered anyway.

They stood in silence, and Luke spoke first. “You have been avoiding me since Corellia. Why.” he asked, and winced when his tone came out sharper than he intended. 

Piett made a face. He didn't expect a confrontation so soon, it had only been two days! He sighed. “You compromised our mission in Corellia because you chose to associate with a rebel. I don't know what you've been taught at the Academy but the Empire does not permit accidents like this.” he whispered angrily, cautious to mention the word rebel and associate in one sentence.

Luke didn't understand why Piett still thought he had gone to an Imperial Academy, hadn't Vader told him the truth?

“Firmus,” said Luke, “What has Lord Vader told you about me?”

Piett blinked. “You rose through military ranks in the Colonies and met Lord Vader by accident.”

Luke laughed. Darth Vader, the storyteller. “He made that one up.” 

Piett blinked twice. “I am not surprised, if that is what you were expecting,” he explained calmly, “but you are a Commander. Your expertise can only be achieved in military.”

“About that...” frowned Luke, scratching the back of his neck. “We didn't meet by accident. I was sent to work with him.”

“By whom?” asked Piett, frowning, “I don't know who in their right mind would send someone as young as you to work with Lord Vader.”

Luke took a deep breath before dropping the bomb. “I was sent to work with him around four months ago, you and I met around that time,” explained Luke, and Piett nodded slowly, “I was to help him find the Emperor, but there was another reason. The leader of the Rebellion was also missing.”

“I know you have acquaintances in the Rebellion, but–” said Piett.

“I was a rebel Commander at that time.”

Piett closed his mouth and stared at him, as if Luke had just admitted to killing the Emperor. In a scale of crimes, being a rebel came after that, so he understood Piett's reaction.

Piett continued staring at him. “You have infiltrated the Empire and gained Lord Vader's trust to find a rebel General?!” he accused.

Admiral Piett, the other imperial storyteller. Luke had to at least give the imperials credit for their creativity. “No! I know it's shocking but Lord Vader knows all of this and I'm still here. I'm not a spy. The Rebellion kicked me out more than a month ago for suspected treason.” he explained.

Piett didn't even know the rebels cared about treason, them being terrorists and all. “This still does not mean that you weren't affiliated with the rebels! Why are you here?” 

Luke exhaled patiently. “Because Lord Vader asked me to. We met again a few weeks ago and he asked me to come with him and I accepted.”

“At what cost? A rebel would never accept this freely.”

“The Insurrection problem bothered me. I couldn't do anything in the Rebellion anymore, so I might at least try in the Empire. The other reason is quite personal.” said Luke.

“Personal? With Lord Vader?” asked Piett, scandalised.

“He said he could help me find someone important to me once the Insurrection was dealt with." explained Luke. If only Piett knew how important.

Piett sat down in a chair. This was a lot to take in. Suddenly the boy he had spent so many weeks with was a total stranger to him.

Luke continued. “I take full responsibility for what happened in Corellia. The man you saw me with, that was my friend. He accused me of working for the Empire and things did not go well.”

Piett didn't answer.

”I also caused the storm that cut the electric power out.” 

Piett's eyes widened. “It was you?! The entire base was in darkness for over twenty minutes, Commander! What did you do?”

Luke didn't know how to explain the Force to someone that only saw it being used for killing. “I was upset and not in control of myself. My emotions skyrocketed at the weather, quite literally.” 

Piett blinked and let that go. He didn't understand the Force, and would rather avoid it altogether. “Do the rebels know you're working for the Empire now?” he asked.

"No. I'm prohibited from contacting them, and it's not like I want them to know I am working in close proximity with someone they hate.” answered Luke.

“And you don't hate him?”

Luke stopped. He had asked himself the question hundreds of times already. ”I hate what Vader has done in the galaxy and to innocent people, but I don't necessarily hate _him_.” 

The confession felt strange. He was telling the truth, but his brain didn't process that those words came out of his own mouth. 

Piett nodded. “Well, I agree with you on that. The system has its faults, but I do not approve of the Rebellion. It is terrorism.”

Luke sighed. “You have your opinions, I have mine. The only thing that matters here is that Vader trusts us, and we still have to find a spy. I have no plan.”

Luke wondered what would Vader do. The man was probably making small talk with politicians as they were speaking. “Is he at those dinners while also keeping the military afloat?” he asked incredulously. 

Piett nodded. “Yes. The Emperor's disappearance is still a secret. Lord Vader is acting as his right hand for the moment, but people will suspect. The Emperor has never been gone for so long...”

Luke stared at the wall. “I think Vader might lose his mind, Firmus.”

Piett raised an eyebrow. 

“I mean it. Can you imagine Vader attending formal dinners? He hates them.”

“Does he?” asked Piett, confused.

“Maybe, you've met him.”

“Well, I do work with him, but I know nothing about him. Ten years answering his demands and I don't even know if he's human.” said Piett.

Luke wouldn't tell more than necessary because it was wrong, whatever trust Vader had placed on him, he wouldn't betray it, but Piett could have this information. “He is human.”

“How do you know?”

Luke wanted to tell him about that time they went to Jabba's Palace on Tatooine and Vader rescued him from prison, and that they were shot and Vader almost died, and Luke had to remove the helmet to save him. But he couldn't.

“I just do, alright? He's human." he said, and then he needed to get something out of his chest. “Are we on good terms now, Firmus?”

Piett was lost in thought. “I will need time to process that you aren't who I thought you were, but I don't see that as a reason to impede our investigation. Allegiances aside, you are crucial.”

“I'm not talking about the investigation. Are we on good terms as _friends_?” asked Luke.

“Friends?”, asked Piett, the word foreign in his mouth, “I suppose?”

Luke smiled sadly, knowing that this friendship wouldn't last long. Him being a rebel Commander was nothing compared to the big bomb.

He destroyed the death star. Neither Piett nor Vader would let that slide. 

**ONE DAY LATER**   
  


The Executor felt calmer once Vader was gone. Not because of Vader himself, but because people could finally breathe without being afraid of Vader appearing.

Luke was talking to Piett about the spy, and felt a strange shift in the Force. It was warning him of something, and the danger was like cold rain on his skin. He stopped listening to Piett, and concentrated on the wind that was slowly picking up speed through the Force.

Piett had seen that expression on his face before. Lord Vader did the same sometimes, though he couldn't see his face. It was the Force, but usually when they both acted like this, it meant nothing good.

Luke followed the strange wind in trance through the corridors, and felt Piett stopping him. "We're at the bridge already. What's going on?" he whispered at him. 

Luke blinked a few times and saw himself at the epicentre of the problem. The Force was pulsating in this room, warning him of something incoming. All the officers were in place, doing their job calmly, much calmer since Vader wasn't around.

"I don't know exactly, something's wrong." mumbled Luke.

Nobody paid them attention. The wind was getting stronger, and Luke's senses were screaming to get down. He crouched and brought Piett down too. 

An imperial officer stood in the middle of the bridge, armed with a blaster, and was pointing it at everybody. Luke and Piett crawled away from him, and hid behind a pannel. 

"Nobody move!" he shouted.

Piett squinted to get a better view of the person. "Is that–?"

"The holomap guy," answered Luke, mesmerized. Ruh was a member of the investigation team, a small quiet responsible man.

"You found the spy, congratulations Commander," said Piett dryly, "But he has a blaster. What now?!" he urged.

Stormtroopers entered the room, and pointed weapons at him. "Drop your blaster, now!" 

Ruh panicked, and pulled an officer closer to him, and pointed the blaster at the head. "This is officer Leewy, if she dies Darth Vader will be pissed."

The stormtroopers reconsidered. 

Luke had to do something. He got up, ignoring Piett's protests, and walked towards the guy, arms raised. 

Ruh's eyes widened when he saw Luke. "Starkiller?! What are you doing here?"

Luke reached out into the Force and found fear. The guy was terrified of something, yet Luke sensed no danger anywhere in the ship. It was internal, and the fear was solid enough to have been there for a long time. "What are _you_ doing here? There's no need to make a scene." he said calmly.

Ruh's hand was shaking, and officer Leewy looked like it wasn't the first time she was being held at blasterpoint. She had a bored gaze in her eyes, and just sighed calmly, wanting the show to be over so she could get back to work.

Luke could sense murderous intent, and carefully used the Force to put Ruh's blaster to stun mode. He walked closer to him, arms raised. "Ruh, what's wrong?"

Piett was still hiding behind the pannel, looking at him like he had gone mad. Perhaps it was Vader's influence on the boy. Everybody was staring at the show, stormtroopers included.

Ruh took a few steps back. "Stay out of it, or I'll blast you too." he shouted, panicking, and Luke sighed. 

Wait, _too?_

Luke looked at officer Leewy and then back at Ruh, and understood what was going to happen. He wasn't holding her hostage— she was the target. 

Ruh pulled the trigger. The blaster only stunned the officer, and she fell to the floor. People screamed, and Ruh used the moment of panic to run away. He managed to get past the stormtroopers and left the bridge.

Luke followed him. They ran down the corridors for a few minutes, and Luke eventually caught up with the older man. He jumped towards him and they landed on the floor, and Luke pinned his wrists down so Ruh wouldn't escape. Ruh panicked and hit his head against Luke's, and got up to run again.

Luke had enough.

He checked that no one was looking, and used the Force to levitate the man in the air. His head was throbbing from the impact, and it was hard to concentrate, so his hold on him was shaky.

"What's happening?! Is Lord Vader here?! Put me down!" shouted Ruh.

Luke shut his eyes. His headache was getting worse. He would need to see a doctor after. "He's not here. Why did you do that?" asked Luke, out of breath. If Vader was here, Ruh would have been unconscious by now.

Ruh turned his head to look at him, and froze when he saw that it was Luke levitating him. "You're– you're like him! I I shot officer Leewy,” he confessed, in panic and suddenly afraid of him, “I didn't have a choice.”

"We all saw that, but why? What did she do to you?" exclaimed Luke.

Ruh didn't answer. Luke commed Piett and sent their location, and eventually he arrived with stormtroopers on his tail. Luke stopped levitating Ruh before they arrived, and the man ran away from him the moment his feet touched ground. The stormtroopers followed him.

Piett approached Luke. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just hit my head. I'll interrogate him after the medbay," explained Luke, "Is officer Leewy alive?"

"Yes, the blaster was set to stun mode, _surprisingly_." said Piett, looking at him, one eyebrow raised, "Do I even want to know?"

Luke smiled and shook his head, and the act hurt. Piett dragged him to the medbay, and Luke walked out a couple hours later, with an ice pack on his head and a yellow bruise starting on his forehead, going across his eye and down to his cheek. 

**TWO DAYS LATER**

Dinner with politicians, regional governors and kings was a waste of his time.

The galaxy had hundreds of issues to fix. He was leading an investigation while fighting against the Rebellion and also helping the ISB find the Emperor— he didn't have time to make small talk with fancy politicians. If it was for him, he would tell everybody to go back to their planets, attend to their own problems and stop wasting credits on events like these.

But ah, formal etiquette. He couldn't. On his way back to the Executor, Vader didn't say a word. Perhaps if he created a believable hologram of Palpatine and engineered it to say whatever Vader wanted, they wouldn't make him go to formal events. The Empire would still have its Emperor, and Vader could be doing the dirty work backstage. It had been like that for more than twenty years anyway.

He would have to think about the hologram later. He landed in his personal hangar and saw two people waiting to receive him. Admiral Piett had perfect posture, as usual, but Commander Starkiller, however...

Vader froze in the middle of the ramp and stopped walking. He left the Commander to his own devices for less than a week and he had already gotten injured.

Vader walked towards him with a strange sense of urgency. “What happened to you?" he asked, examining the bruise. 

The bruise on Luke's face had gone from yellow to dark purple. He crossed his arms in self-defence. "I found the spy." he muttered.

Vader just stared at him. "Looks like the spy found you." he said, and Luke suppressed a smile, "Have they been interrogated yet?"

"No sir, we thought it wiser to leave it to you." said Piett. It was his idea, because Luke wanted to interrogate Ruh himself, but he needed to rest first.

They left the hangar, Vader walking in front and Luke and Piett behind. Then something very unusual happened: Vader slowed down so the Commander would catch up with his speed, even if the boy wasn't running. 

Piett stayed behind, watching the situation curiously.

Vader couldn't stop staring at the bruise. He had seen open wounds, had seen hundreds of people die, yet he couldn't take his eyes off a simple, fading bruise. "How did this happen?" he asked.

The Force engulfed Luke's presence like a warm wind, and he shivered. "He ran away, I tried to stop him, he hit me, tried to run away again, I stopped him."

"Who was it?" asked Vader.

"Ruh, the man in charge of the keeping holomaps up to date. He tried to blast her." explained Luke.

Vader stopped walking. "Did he disclose the reasons for the attack?"

"No, but..." mumbled Luke, and then lowered his voice, "Through the Force I felt that he was afraid. I think he was acting on someone else's orders." he explained, and then remembered something that was on his mind for the last two days, "He also said if officer Leewy died you would be angry, why?"

Vader blinked. “I don't know who that officer is."

Luke sighed in relief. "How strange. Who could have scared him this much to bring _your_ name into conversation?”

Vader stopped him before Luke elaborated. "I will get to the bottom of it. You have done enough. You are free to do as you wish until I finish the interrogation." 

Luke protested. "Could I come with you? I was there when the attack happened. I could help."

"No, you have done enough already." repeated Vader, sounding angrier than he actually was. Seeing the boy's bruise made him feel alarmed, even if it was nothing serious. 

He almost died on Mustafar. His own lungs were damaged from inhaling too much ash and gas while he was unconscious, he was also ill— a simple bruise on a healthy young man was nothing to worry about.

  
*** * ***

  
Vader walked into Ruh's prison cell thirty minutes later, and didn't know that Luke had followed him and was waiting outside. Technically speaking, he wasn't disobeying any orders, and Vader told him he could do whatever he wanted, so there he was.

Waiting.

He stood still the first fifteen minutes, and then sat on the floor. An hour passed, and Vader still hadn't returned. The Force was silent, and Luke couldn't hear anything either.

After two hours Vader finally left the room, angry and exhausted, and Luke got up. Vader walked past him, not even seeing him, and Luke ran to catch up to him. "Lord Vader?" he asked.

Nothing.

The man ignored him.

Luke ran again, and tugged on his cape. "Lord Vader."

Vader turned around fast, and Luke took a step back. Vader took a few moments to breathe, and then frowned. "Commander? What are you– I told you not to follow me." 

"I didn't," protested Luke, "I didn't go with you to the interrogation. How did it go?"

It was the first time anyone asked him how an interrogation went. Vader looked around and saw stormtroopers patrolling the area, and anxiety settled in his heart. "We should not discuss this here. Follow me."

They walked in silence until they reached Vader's personal quarters, and Luke remembered the last time he was there. It was too dark to see anything, and Vader was crying. Neither of them wanted to acknowledge it, even if the memory hung in the air.

Luke stood in the middle of the almost empty room, arms crossed, watching Vader check every corner of the ceiling and looking under the desk. When he was satisfied with the security, he removed his helmet and Luke froze.

Vader looked exhausted _._ Even worse, he was _panicking._ His eyes darted all over the room, and his breathing was fast.

"This cannot leave this room, do you understand?" asked Vader, his tone serious and commanding. His natural voice sounded more threatening than the modulated. 

Luke nodded, concerned. Ruh was only the holomap guy, how could he have driven Darth Vader to such state?

Vader leaned on his desk, and exhaled. "It is worse than I thought."

"What happened?!" asked Luke.

Vader took a moment to summarize. "Apparently there are over a hundred Insurrection spies on board. They have infiltrated most imperial flagships by now, and he suspects the same is also happening in the Rebellion, though his deduction skills are weak. He was not in the right state of mind to make any."

Luke couldn't believe it. He blinked a few times and wanted to answer, but couldn't.

Vader continued. "I suspected they were bribed, but most of them volunteered out of their own volition. Ruh did not. He was forced to report to someone else about what we were doing in the investigation and–"

Luke interrupted. "What does officer Leewy have to do with this?"

Vader glared at him, annoyed at the interruption, and Luke decided to stay quiet. "He was told he had to kill her, or the other spies on board would kill him."

Luke closed his eyes and rubbed them, processing everything. "This is very bad..." he mumbled.

To his surprise, he heard Vader laughing. It was void of emotion, most likely result of exhaustion. "This is worse than _very bad_ , Commander. Ruh's capture and interrogation are public knowledge by now. If he is not killed tonight, I will be surprised."

Luke's eyes widened. "We have to protect him. This man just confessed to everything, we can't just let him be killed!" he protested, and turned around to leave the room. He knew Vader didn't care, so he would protect him himself.

Vader didn't expect this response. "Where are you going?" he demanded, following him. He cursed under his breath as he forgot his helmet, and went back to get it. Luke was already at the end of the corridor, and Vader had to run to catch up to him.

Luke stopped to face him, and spoke quietly, almost whispering. "I'm going to protect him. I refuse to let a man that did nothing wrong die." he explained fast, and rushed to leave.

Vader clenched his jaw and stopped him, holding him by the bicep. Luke froze, and stared at the mask. "He held an officer at blasterpoint. It is foolish of you. If you go, you might get killed too." said Vader, his words sounding like a plea.

"I can protect myself, I'm not a child." assured Luke. There was something else in Vader's tone that he didn't understand. 

Vader didn't answer, but still refused to let him go. Luke stared at the emotionless black lenses—since when did Vader care about his safety?

The Force laughed, and showed him his own memories. 

Luke remembered how Vader seemed hesitant to let him fly to talk to the Rebellion, even if the idea was his. He remembered the flight from Vondarc to the Executor, how Vader had not interrupted his sleep. He remembered the storm in Corellia, and how Vader must have physically fought the Force to reach him. 

It was there all along.

"Are you...“ said Luke, and closed his eyes, "Are you scared something will happen to me?" he whispered slowly.

Vader's grip on him relaxed, but he didn't answer. He looked at the purple bruise on his face, and let him go with shaky hands.

Luke didn't understand what was going on, but he had to find Ruh. He turned around and walked a few steps, determined to help the innocent man, but something inside him felt wrong, like he was leaving some things unsaid. He turned around again, and found Vader in the same place, motionless.

Their Force presences saw each other, but neither of them said anything.

They didn't need to.

Luke realised that he didn't want Vader to answer his question to know the truth. Darth Vader cared about him, and he was letting him go, even if he was worried for his safety.

The idea was bizarre, and the idea of Vader worrying about anyone beyond himself and the Emperor was ridiculous. But the Force confirmed it, and Luke realised he was still clinging to the old image he had of Vader.

He wasn't a monster: just a man wearing the skin of one.

Vader stared at the boy at the end of the corridor, suppressing the urge to order him not to go, and watched him leave. His eye flinched under the mask, and he expected himself to get angry on instinct, but he didn't. 

Luke practically ran towards the interrogation corridors, and opened Ruh's cell. The man was still there, asleep and unharmed, and Luke exhaled. He closed the door, and sat on the ground, leaning against the wall. He took some moments to regain his breath. 

He could still feel Vader's attention on him, even if he wasn't there presently. He spoke through the Force. _He's unharmed, but I will stay on guard for the night. Please bring additional security by morning._

Vader's unmasked voice spoke back. _As you wish._

Luke snorted quietly. He then realised that he would have to spend the entire night awake, on guard, and ignored the strange looks the passing officers gave him. They were already changing shifts, and the nocturnal officers would be coming soon. 

Luke refused to let an innocent man die, even if the man threatened to kill someone. He closed his eyes and meditated, reaching out into the Force, ignoring how his presence kept bumping against Vader's.

**NEXT MORNING — THE PRISON CELLS**

Piett had received a message from Darth Vader saying he needed to bring additional security to the spy's cell. He suspected it was the Commander's idea, because Vader wouldn't care about a traitor's safety. The boy had a strong sense of morality, perhaps because he was a rebel, or because that's just how he was. 

He brought the additional security Vader asked for, and at the end of the corridor, where Ruh's cell was supposed to be, he saw something and stopped. He ordered the troopers to wait for him, and walked towards the cell. 

He froze.

Ben Starkiller was asleep on the floor, and Piett would have scolded him for being an ineffective guard, but he didn't dare speak. Next to him sat Darth Vader, cross-legged, reading something on a datapad. The boy's head was resting against Vader's bicep, but the man paid no attention.

Piett had to blink a few times to confirm that he hadn't gone mad. "My Lord?" he whispered as quietly as he could.

Vader snapped his helmet at him, and Piett mumbled an apology. This wasn't happening to him. He was glad he told the stormtroopers to wait: if anyone saw this, it would be a scandal.

"Is...everything alright, sir?" asked Piett, not knowing what to say. "I bring the additional security." he whispered, swallowing, unable to look away from Ben. The boy was sleeping quietly, his head must have fallen sometime during the night, as it looked uncomfortable, and the boy would have neck pain when he woke up. 

Vader took a long time to answer. "Yes Admiral, everything is alright."

The answer was strange, and Piett decided to leave them alone. Darth Vader was already all the additional security anyone could possibly need, but he knew his commanding officer wasn't there to protect Ruh.

Piett looked one last time at Ben Starkiller before leaving. The boy was mumbling something in his sleep in another language, brows furrowed, and Vader stopped reading military reports to look at him.

Piett smiled quietly.

No, Vader was definitely not there to protect Ruh at all.


	14. The Boss

**"I was full of silence I didn't know how to break."**

**THE EXECUTOR — ABOVE THE WESTERN REACHES**

"The Admiral, you and I are leaving undercover to Takodana," said Vader, "Intel says Celissa Vanis was spotted frequenting a cantina there. It is the only lead we have."

It was late at night, and Luke stayed up to do extra work when Vader arrived. He looked up at him, frowning. "So we're just going to go there and hope she doesn't remember me? If she's behind the kidnapping of the Emperor, she's smart. She will recognise me." said Luke.

She was also a criminal, and the entire criminal underworld was searching for the pilot behind the death star. Thousands of people would kill to bring his head on a stick to Vader.

Darth Vader, the same man that stood in front of him now.

"I said undercover, Commander," said Vader, and Luke wondered if he would ever drop the title. He wasn't a Commander anymore. "We leave tomorrow morning. All clothing and hair dye will be provided."

Before Luke could ask about the hair dye, Vader had already left.

Next morning Piett knocked on Luke's door and entered the quarters, and Luke bit his cheek to stop from laughing. "Admiral, you look like a pirate."

Piett had received the same instructions: black hair dye, old clothing and blasters.

A lot of blasters.

The clothes were expensive but were made to look like they had been worn for ages. Piett's hair was already dark so the hair dye wasn't visible, but Luke...

Luke's hair was pitch black.

Piett stared at him, blinking a few times. "Um. You look different."

"That's a good thing." said Luke, "Have you been undercover before?"

"No," answered Piett, suspicious, "Have you?"

Luke nodded conspiratorially. "Yeah, heart of the Empire. I walked past you a few years ago and you didn't even notice."

Piett's eyes widened, and Luke laughed.

"I'm just joking. But yes, I've been undercover. Never like this though," he said, looking at his clothes. They were a bit too big for him, and too dark for his personal taste, but he had been wearing monochromatic imperial clothes for the last few months. He would have to get used to it.

Piett, on the other hand...It felt weird seeing him without the imperial uniform. The man looked lost in the combat boots and with all the blasters attached to his belt. Luke would have to remind him to keep the imperial ID on until they left the ship, because the stormtroopers would shoot them. They didn't blend in with the Empire, so they would blend in with the pirates.

"At least Lord Vader will not be coming with us. I couldn't fathom him seeing me in such an informal state. It is most unprofessional." muttered Piett, protesting that he was being sent on a mission.

"What do you mean he’s not coming?" asked Luke. 

"He is sending an ISB agent in his place. He left a few hours ago, you didn't know?" asked Piett.

Luke wanted to scream in frustration. Vader was sending an agent to do the job for him? Did the man forget they had a huge breach in security? Vader didn't even trust the ISB!

"What ship are we taking?" asked Luke, already tired.

"One that barely flies, I'm afraid..." said Piett, staring at the floor, "I really am afraid. We cannot take a regular imperial ship, so they have given us a....let's go. See it for yourself."

They walked towards the hangar in the early morning, even if space didn't care about mundane concepts as day or night. Piett stopped in front of a small old ship, rusty and of questionable design.

"Are you sure it flies?" asked Luke, confused.

Piett didn't answer, and insisted on getting the job done. They landed on Takodana a few hours later, the ship carefully hidden in a clear far from the cantina. Luke stepped out first, and smiled at the sun.

He hadn't seen the sun in _weeks_. He spent his entire life on Tatooine, photosynthesising next to his Aunt's plants. Spending weeks in outer space with only artificial lights made him weak. As much as he disliked Tatooine's weather, his soul missed it.

He breathed fresh air and saw Piett doing the same, even if the man was uncomfortable. 

They reached the building in silence, and Luke stopped on his tracks. "Wait, where is Vader's agent?" he asked.

Piett flinched because a bug landed on his shoulder. "He said he would meet us inside." he said, trying to get it out without touching it.

"How will he know it's us?" asked Luke.

"Lord Vader didn't elaborate, I'm afraid." 

Luke wasn't surprised at this point.

The cantina was big, loud and filthy. It was early morning but it was still very crowded, and Luke had to squint to adjust to the change of light. It was dark, and he could barely see Piett walking in front of him through the crowd.

They sat down in a circular booth at a corner so they would see the area better, and Piett still couldn't relax. Through the Force he was a sobbing baby that had its favorite toy taken away from him. "I'm an Admiral in the Imperial Fleet, Commanding Officer to The Darth Vader! I am not fit for undercover missions. He should have sent someone else." he whispered under his breath.

Luke agreed, even if he knew that Piett was more than capable. 

Luke sighed. "And I'm a pilot that got dragged along. But this is important! Vader relies on us. You don't want to disappoint him, do you?" he asked. 

Instead of sending someone professional, Vader chose to send an Admiral and him. An ex-rebel Force-sensitive boy he befriended a few months ago that knew nothing about imperial administrations. Luke still wondered how Vader managed to keep an entire Empire afloat: at this point he was sure that Vader was capable of appointing him Emperor just because.

Luke shook himself off that thought. The Emperor was still missing, and Luke didn't want to be on the receiving end of his fury if he came back and found that a twenty-two year old ex-rebel had taken his throne.

Piett, unaware of Luke's inner scenarios, was still protesting silently. "I don't understand why he's sending an agent..."

Luke made a face. "Vader is very recognisable. If he came with us, we wouldn't have made it past the front doors."

Piett nodded. "But an _agent_ -!" he said with disgust.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "What's the problem? It's someone trained. Vader must have informed them of what he expects from the mission. If things go well, we're just here to watch and make sure that the agent doesn't do-"

Luke's voice faded away.

The front door opened, and all species turned their heads around to stare at the newcomer. A tall male human walked in with a frown, scanning the entire cantina up and down. He was a head taller than Luke, and had several blasters attached to his belt. His presence intimidated even those who intimidated everyone.

Their gazes met, and the man walked towards them, fast and decided. The heads of the species turned around to follow him, and once he sat down they went back to their business. The man sat down next to Piett and in front of Luke, as the booth was in a corner and circular. 

Luke froze and blinked a few times.

And blinked again, trying to remember to breathe.

Vader was mad to send this man here.

Because that man was him.

Vader sat in silence, scratching his neck uncomfortably and avoiding eye contact, looking at the table. The lightsaber inside his jacket was the only familiar thing he was wearing. He sent someone else to find clothes for this mission, and now he regretted it. He felt like he was wearing a costume.

And coming from someone that walked in a long black cape everyday, that said a lot.

Vader wore military boots, loose dark cameo trousers and a thick dark blue jacket with gloves. Luckily he didn't have to dye his hair black, because no one would recognise him. Also, he wouldn't go that far.

Luke coughed and Vader finally looked at him, and Luke froze. Vader's eyes, the eyes of a Sith, were supposed to be yellow...not a calm blue. He also had a scar across his eye. 

Luke and Piett stood out in the crowd for their behaviour, but Vader... He looked like he was the leader of a criminal enterprise and the Empire was looking for him, which was a bit ironic because he was friends with a man that fit the description perfectly.

Luke touched on the Force and connected to Vader's presence, and spoke through their bond. Vader wore a mask for a reason, and Luke wouldn't disclose his secret to Piett. _What happened to the agent you were supposed to send?! Is he dead?_

Before Vader could answer that he didn't kill anyone yet, Piett leaned closer to him. "Agent Broly from the Bureau. Am I correct?" he whispered. Luke stared at the interaction as if he was watching two fish leave the water and go for a walk. “Have you read the reports Lord V- that _he_ sent you?” 

It was probably not a good idea to say Vader's name out loud in a room filled with rebel sympathizers.

Vader spoke. "Yes, Admiral, I have." His voice was rough and still carried Darth Vader's intonation, and Luke wondered how long it would take Piett to see through the lie.

“And well? What is your professional opinion? You do work in intelligence, after all.” said Piett politely.

Vader didn't answer, busy staring at everyone. Piett coughed. “Agent Broly, I asked you a question.”

Vader realised that technically, Admiral Piett outranked a simple ISB agent. He would have to play the part. "Your team is... _efficient_ , and your results are essential to him. I wish you congratulations and the best of luck." he recited.

Luke made a face. _He's going to see through you. Do better._

“No one said anything about a team.” said Piett suspiciously, deciding to ignore the strange congratulations part.

“It must have slipped.” said Vader.

“Lord Vader never lets anything slip. Where did you learn that information?”

“It was in the report.”

“No it wasn't.”

“It was.”

Piett sighed politely, nerves on edge. “Agent Broly. I insist you cooperate unless you wish to get a disapproval from Lord Vader himself.”

Luke snorted loudly and put his head on the table to laugh quietly. Never in his twenty-two years of life he expected to see this. He wanted it all on tape.

“Enough. This is serious.” said Piett.

Vader spoke through the bond. _What do you think you are doing?!_

_It's just Piett. What's he gonna do? Complain to Lord Vader about Lord Vader?_

_He can do as he wishes. It is inconsequential to me._

_You could at least pretend you're this Agent Broly or whatever. Have you been undercover before?_ asked Luke.

 _...It has been a few decades,_ admitted Vader, _but it means nothing. I am not here to act, and I am interacting with you merely to avoid suspicion._

 _Suspicion?! You're about to receive a disapproval letter about your own self. You will have to fire Agent Broly! You could have just told me you were coming and we could have avoided this._ said Luke.

 _Avoided what? Talking? It would be a dream come true._ said Vader in cold sarcasm, annoyed. He wasn't there to chat, he was there because he needed to capture Celissa Vanis.

Luke sighed. _No offense, but you're impossible today._

_I am what now-?!_

_You're impossible today,_ repeated Luke, _I insist you cooperate unless you wish to get a disapproval from Lord Vader, sir._

Vader groaned in frustration. _I am only impossible today? What about the rest of the days?_

 _You are less impossible-_ admitted Luke.

_But still impossible._

_Yes._

Piett stared between them, not understanding why everyone was silent. "So...Why has he sent you? This is a classified mission, no one in the ISB should be involved."

Vader continued speaking through the bond. He was not done yet. In addition to having to be in a place filled with people without his mask, in clothes that felt like a costume **—** he was having to deal with accusations of being impossible. Impossible for what?

 _I do not understand your behaviour today. I believed getting out of a ship would be beneficial to you._ he said.

_It is! This place is cool._

_This place is filled with criminals._

_From whose point of view anyway?_ asked Luke.

Piett coughed. "Agent Broly? I asked you a question. Are you feeling unwell?"

He was feeling unwell alright. Vader blinked a few times, trying to remember the question. "I, uh- I have received work from him before. And the ISB is not involved in the investigation. It would be a risk, and there is already a security breach."

Piett was impressed, and he nodded, head raised and arms crossed. "So you have talked to him." he said, more of a question than a statement.

_They are criminals from all points of view._

_Even theirs?_ asked Luke.

In Piett's eyes, Agent Broly wasn't a man of many facial expressions. He didn't nod, didn't shake his head, didn't laugh, didn't cross his arms. But now the man seemed frustrated.

"I have spoken to him, yes." said Vader.

Piett nodded. "I see. Why did he send you precisely?"

"He informed me of the developments and I took his request." answered Vader.

Piett tilted his head. "He does not send _requests,_ they are orders. Coming from someone that works for the ISB, which he controls, I expected you to know this."

Vader frowned. "No, it _was_ a request." he said, offended.

"No, I believe it was an order. He does not send requests." repeated Piett.

Vader leaned on the booth and crossed his arms, relaxing a bit. "Why do you believe that?"

"Why, you have worked with him. He is efficient and the best at what he does, but his word outranks anyone else's. And I have the privilege of speaking as an Admiral, because if somebody else dared say this about him, and the word got out, the person would suffer the consequences..." whispered Piett.

Vader frowned. He disagreed with everything Piett just said- they were just words, after all, why would he kill someone over _words?_

"And this young man here also has the privilege of working with him." said Piett, tilting his head towards Luke.

Luke and Vader's gazes met. "I work with him too," explained Luke, making direct eye contact, "I think everyone here understands that caution is advisable when dealing with him." 

Vader frowned, confused. _You, of all people, Commander, should not be worried about caution-_

The boy spoke to him like nobody had spoken to him in over twenty years. Had he been a simple officer, he wouldn't have lasted a day under Darth Vader.

Piett spoke. "Yes, precisely. You must get the job done, though...Everyone knows what happened to Captain Kathmir."

The Force stopped ticking.

Luke frowned. "Who?"

"Nobody," said Vader urgently, "Drop the topic, _now_."

Piett huffed. "Agent Broly, do you have anything against the story being told? It is well known. My friend here doesn't know it because he was a child when it happened."

Luke spoke through the bond. _What's going on?_

Vader exhaled deeply, and raised one hand to urge Piett to do whatever he wanted. 

"Very well," said Piett, getting himself comfortable, "Captain Kathmir served under Lord V- under _him_ , five years after First Empire Day. He appointed her to the 501st Legion and it's rumoured that she hardly lost a battle. I wasn't working on the Executor yet, so I didn't meet her."

"The 501st was sent to the Outer Rim to deal with a rebel insurgence, but the mission failed. The rebels were heavily armed, and the 501st lost almost the entire fleet. She suffered an accident, and came back heavily injured. As you can imagine, he was displeased." explained Piett.

Luke nodded, and Vader just stared at the table, lost in thought.

Piett didn't continue.

"Wait, what happened next?" asked Luke.

Piett blinked. "Oh, there's no next. She vanished."

"What do you mean she vanished?!" exclaimed Luke in a whisper. 

Piett spoke. "No one saw her again. A few months later some of the 501st led a mission to find her, but to no avail....she was gone. She failed him and met the consequences. I have seen this happen many times with officers on my ship."

Luke looked at Vader, but the man was too busy breathing in and out to notice. He knew it was better to leave him alone for now, but Piett didn't know the man was Vader...

"Agent Broly? What is the matter?" he asked.

The Force became cold, and Luke shivered when Vader spoke. "The story is a lie built on childish rumours." he spat quietly. 

"How do you know?" asked Piett politely.

Vader opened his mouth to speak but closed it immediately.

 _Whatever you just wanted to say, you can say it now._ said Luke.

Vader looked at him. I _cannot._

_Why?_

_Confidential._

Luke sighed, frustrated, and addressed Piett. "Why is this story so different from the rest? You say he kills everyone that fails him, so-"

Piett shushed him, scandalized. "Do not use that word."

"What word?"

" _Kill_."

Luke snorted. "Why not? It's what he does."

Piett let it go, and answered his first question. "Captain Kathmir was efficient. Very. Had she lived she would have achieved a high position in the Empire, that's the reason why he assigned her to most of the missions. He...Lord help me, he _trusted_ her. Do you know how strange that is?" whispered Piett.

Luke looked at Vader, who was busy pretending to stare at the table, and sighed. "I know a thing or two about trust. I don't think him trusting someone else is that strange." he said.

Vader looked up at him, but didn't say anything. They didn't need to. The world might be full of rumours about the scariest man in the galaxy, but that's just what they were— rumours, words. Vader had a lost gaze in his eyes, and his connection to the Force calmed down, as if he was distracted.

Luke recognised the look in his eyes all too well: he was remembering.

Luke had an idea. "Why do you think he killed her?" 

Piett blinked. "Why, what else would he do?"

Vader coughed and sat straighter. "It is enough chatter for today. We have a most important task at hand." he said, his authority voice back. 

Luke wouldn't forget about those few seconds that Vader's eyes got lost in the past, in the distant memory of someone Luke didn't know existed. Piett, for once, agreed with Agent Broly, and leaned back on the booth and crossed his arms. 

_You haven't told me about this Captain before._

_There is nothing to say._

_If people suspect that you trusted her, it must have been important._

_She was efficient, and she failed me. She had to go._

_Go where?_

Vader looked up at him. _What do you mean where?_

Luke smiled softly, so as not to startle Piett. They made eye contact with each other, and Luke saw that Vader was afraid.

Luke frowned, and took a few breaths. _Where is she?_

Vader blinked a few times, and clenched his jaw. _She had to go._

_Where is she?_

_None of your business._

_Where is she?_

_Commander._

_Lord Vader. Where is she?_

_Why are you interested in a rumor?_

_Because it's not just a rumor, is it? If you killed her you would admit to it, like you have to all the other officers you've killed, but you're not admitting to anything._

_I should appoint you to Detective work in the ISB,_ said Vader sarcastically, _Your guessing skills are impressive, but they are useless._

Luke sighed. _Fine, don't tell me. But I'd like to know, someday. If you wanna talk about it..._

_I will not-!_

_...I'm just a Force away, okay?_

* * *

They sat in silence: Vader sulking through the Force— remembering the past, Luke concerned that Vader was sulking, and Piett just shamelessly staring at Agent Broly.

The man wasn't what he expected at all. Most ISB agents listened to him **—** he worked under Darth Vader, after all! **—** but this man did whatever he wanted. He had no manners. Piett didn't understand why Vader sent this man when there were others more professional.

The cantina started whispering, and Agent Broly froze. He put his hood up and turned away from the main doors. 

"What is the matter?" asked Piett calmly, observing the man like he would a bug about to go extinct. The Commander also froze in place, but his reaction was different. 

The boy was starstruck. “That's Hondo Ohnaka.” he whispered.

Piett looked at the door, and saw a male Weequay standing near the main doors, happily talking to somebody. "Who?"

Luke laughed. "Come on! The Ohnaka Gang! Florrum?"

Piett shook his head. "I don't know who he is."

Luke sighed. "I wasn't even born back then and I know all about him! He led the Ohnaka Gang during the clone wars, and now he's-" Luke stopped. Now Hondo Ohnaka worked closely with the Rebellion. He couldn't say that. "Now he's... _famous_ around here."

Piett nodded, and stared at Agent Broly, who had made himself smaller, trying to hide. "What is wrong, Agent Broly? Please do not say that Lord V- that _he_ sent you to investigate the pirate."

Vader wanted to laugh. No, he had bigger problems at hand.

Much bigger problems.

Hondo Ohnaka remembered Anakin Skywalker. If he saw him, his own personal twenty-year long cover would be blown. Anakin Skywalker was _dead_ , but he still carried his face. Hondo Ohnaka could not see him, under any circumstances.

Hondo approached them, and Vader turned his head the other way, and rested his head on his hand to hide most of his face. Luke couldn't believe it: Darth Vader was hiding from Hondo Ohnaka! The leader of the Ohnaka Gang from the planet of Florrum, that participated in most-

Hondo sat down next to Luke and in front of Vader, attitude friendly and open. “Hello. My friend there said she doesn't like you.”

Luke laughed nervously. "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet y-"

Piett interrupted. "We are very sorry to hear that. Please leave us.”

“What?” asked Hondo, confused.

“Leave.” said Piett.

“Nah nah nah. What are you fellows doing here? Not that I mind. I love a good crowd. My friend over there can get a bit...picky with the company. Don't listen to her.” said Hondo. Luke could sense no danger in the Force, but maybe it was just too clouded from Vader's panic.

“Could you leave us alone for a minute?” said Luke, worried about Vader.

“Or what?” asked Hondo, putting an arm on his shoulder. “You're too young to be here child. Not that I mind, but- your parents? Phew, can't imagine. Are _these_ your parents?”

It was then that Hondo saw Vader, or all he could see of him. “Hey, I’m talking to you too. I don't bite.”

“Leave him alone." said Luke, looking at Vader, concerned.

“Why? I don't want any trouble. This isn't the place where I would want trouble anyway. All these people right here? Wouldn't hesitate to blow the place up. My friend used to say, keep the war out of cantinas. He then of course destroyed a cantina I owned, but for good reasons, some spice trader put explosives inside and-” explained Hondo, and Luke wanted nothing else than continue hearing the rest of the story, but...

For some reason, Vader didn't want Hondo around.

Luke slowly pushed Hondo out the booth and the pirate shook himself off. “Fine, fine! But if your friend there lays one finger on my other friends you're all in trouble, and not because of me. If they ask, I don't know you. Deal?” he said energetically, as if he did this hundreds of times a day.

“Deal.” said Luke, still looking at Vader. He didn't understand why he thought that Vader would try to attack anyone there.

“Oh and also,” said Hondo, and leaned closer to Luke’s ear, “Tell your friend I haven't seen him in a long long time. He's a good man, even if he tried to kill me twice. Maybe thrice. I lost count. To be fair I tried to kill him too, so let's say we're even. But you take care of him. Deal?” he said melodically, and winked at him, "Alright! See you around! I like you!" he said enthusiastically, and left.

Piett, very much used to the silence in imperial flagships, was speechless. "What...just happened?"

Before Luke could answer, Vader was already gone.

The crowd liked a show, and when someone pulled Hondo Ohsaka by the jacket and dragged him outside, they all cheered. It wasn't the first time it happened.

Vader put Hondo against the wall outside, arm on his chest, and from the movement his hood fell off. Hondo smiled, immune to any intimidation tactics. He had lived a long life. “I knew it was you! Skywalker, long time no see! Is Kenobi around here too?!”

Vader looked at him in disgust. “He's dead.”

Hondo stopped smiling. “Who got him? That Jedi was immortal. One time we fought together against these creatur-"

“Why are you here?” interrupted Vader, pressing him further against the wall.

“Hey! No need for this, we are old friends. I thought you forgave me for capturing you. It was for business," he protested, arms raised, "I'm here to refuel. Why are _you_ so angry?"

Vader stared at him, his eyes slowly turning back to yellow. It was hard to concentrate on keeping them blue if the man in front of him was blowing air to Anakin Skywalker's dusty grave.

He was there on a mission, he had to focus. “Do you know anyone named Celissa Vanis that frequents this cantina?” asked Vader.

Hondo blinked, confused. “Eh, maybe. I dunno! Who cares? What have you been up to? I haven't heard from you since the....ah, whatever. I thought you died in the Jedi Purge.”

Vader's eyes were fully yellow now, and he pushed Hondo even more against the wall to make him speak. Hondo gave in. “Okay _okay_ , yes! Scary lady is around here any minute now. You’re after her? Oh, remember that time when we-”

Vader looked around and activated his lightsaber, placing it near Hondo’s neck. “Tell me everything you know about her and her recent activities, _now_.”

The red moved comfortably in front of Hondo's neck, and the pirate looked at it, confused. He made a face, still immune at a lightsaber threat, even after all these years. “Hey! I don't- Wait. Where'd you get Darth Vader's lightsaber? I've seen it around on holos. Did you kill Vader?”

Vader didn't answer. 

“Oh...” muttered Hondo, looking at Vader's yellow eyes. He didn't know much about the Jedi, but he had met Sith. He wished Kenobi was here now. "Bad few decades, huh..."

“You have ten seconds to speak.” warned Vader sharply.

“She’s uh- she’s leading this new thing against the rebels and the imperials. Has infiltrated spies everywhere, like, full on officers and pilots that report to her about everything that’s going on. She also said that....she's ahead of 'them'? I dunno who's them, but oh! She said someone was coming here, today, and that the cantina should be empty because-”

Vader froze, and removed his lightsaber, taking a step back. This was worse than he thought. If she knew they were investigating her, then she must know that...the Admiral, the Commander: they were still inside. 

“Does she know we are here?!” exclaimed Vader.

Hondo panicked. "Hey, I'm not her! I don't know! But the cantina is full of her people right now. They're all awful, I tell you...remember when I caught you and Kenobi at-"

Vader didn't hear him. The Admiral, the Commander: they were still inside. 

Vader let Hondo go, and before he ran in, he erased their short encounter from his brain. Hondo Ohnaka would not remember seeing Anakin Skywalker's face that day.

*** * ***

Vader removed his hood and sat back with Luke and Piett, his ears ringing. He spoke through their bond because it was the only safe way of communication, even if he couldn't trust anybody at the moment.

 _Did you kill Hondo?! Because if you did-_ protested Luke.

Vader clicked his tongue. _No. Vanis knows we are investigating her and she has been waiting for us here. All these people are from the insurrection. If she arrives now, we're dead._

Luke's eyes widened. _Do you think we can take them? I don't have my lightsaber but I could...I don't know, push them away with the Force?_

_There are over a hundred people here. You and I might make it, but the Admiral would not._

_Then we have to get out of here now, quietly._

Vader nodded. _Go to the ship and wait for the Admiral._

_What will you do?_

_I will stay and deal with her. I am not dropping out of a mission because I am surrounded._

Luke thought that was the most Darth Vader thing he could say, and left the cantina quietly, heading for the ship.

It was only Piett and Vader now.

Piett looked at him icily. “There was no need to treat the pirate like that, Agent Broly.”

Vader leaned closer to him, appearing casual, and spoke under his breath. “We do not have much time. Vanis knows we are here, and everyone will have weapons aiming at us the moment she arrives. The Commander is leaving now, and I suggest we–“

Piett stopped listening. He wanted to scream. The speech pattern, the formal name calling... he looked at Agent Broly through almost teary eyes, in disbelief. “Lord Vad-?”

Vader clenched his jaw. “Silence. So far no one suspects that we know this is an ambush, but you have to leave before she arrives."

Piett's right eye twitched. He looked at the man next to him, at the piercing gaze in his eyes and how quickly it scanned everything around them, at the clench in his jaw and at his scar. His voice was melodic yet rough, but Piett didn’t need to listen to it to recognise Darth Vader.

It was in the way he walked and sat down, and how he formed sentences. His interactions with Ben Starkiller...of course, he should have known. He has worked with the man for over ten years, but to be fair, had the Commander not told him that Vader was human, he wouldn't have known.

Vader was also much younger than he was. Piett thought Vader was in his late 50s, not...middle 40s. The man looked young and athletic, and if Piett only saw a holopicture he would have never believed this was Darth Vader.

Why did he wear a helmet if he could breathe properly?

Piett had hundreds of questions that he knew would never be answered. He looked at Darth Vader, a young human male, and nodded, deciding to talk later.

If there was a later. 

Because apparently he had walked himself into an ambush. He knew administration and military planning, not how to deal with an ambush!

“Go outside and meet with the Commander. I will remain here. Do not come back under any circumstances. Is that understood, Admiral?” said Vader, and Piett nodded in concern. He knew better than to question Vader’s orders. He stood up and left the cantina, barely processing that he was leaving Vader alone in a room full of people that wanted to kill him.

He supposed it was not the first time this happened.

Vader was alone now. He could feel suspicion in the room through the Force, and he didn’t want to make a bloodbath. He could kill everyone in a few minutes, but...

But.

The Commander and Piett were waiting for him outside. If he attacked now, the pirates might find them first.

He would have to do it the Jedi way.

He walked towards the bar in the center of the room and felt everyone tense. People were staring at a woman that just arrived, but in a way that nobody would suspect a thing. He looked without turning around, and saw the same woman he saw back in Coruscant six months ago: middle-aged, short, dark auburn hair, sharp eyes. The same woman that had been playing galactic chess for six months under his nose.

He should have never let her get away.

Celissa went to talk to the bartenders, and her eyes laid on him. Vader felt nauseous. "You from around here?” she asked. Her voice had a tone he didn't like, as if she saw through him.

“No one's from around here.” he said, his voice deep.

She snorted. “That's true...What are you ordering?”

He decided to play pretend to like her, for the mission's sake. Why was it that when he was around Hondo Ohnaka all his missions ended up making him uncomfortable?

“What do you suggest?” he said, smiling, and felt her curiosity in the Force, “I don't usually drink so early.” He didn't drink, never had, didn't want to, but he needed to keep her talking. He felt the Commander’s force presence walking away from the cantina, and thankfully it was calm. Nobody was following them.

“It’s always time to celebrate, especially _now_.” she said, smiling. Her arrogance made him sick.

“It’s only twelve, there is nothing special about _now_.” said Vader.

She nodded fast, looking around the cantina. “You’re right, but you’re also the only person around here that I don’t recognise. So tell me, did Vader send you?” she accused. 

He looked at her, and couldn't help but smile when he felt weapons pointed at him. He was much more comfortable in fight scenarios than in casual conversation, that used to be Kenobi's job. 

Kenobi.

Why the hell was he thinking about him now? This was all Hondo's fault.

But he was right. Kenobi, for all his betrayals and stupidities, could talk himself out of the situation without a fight. It used to irritate Vader, but now he actually wanted to avoid the fight. There were people that needed his protection, even if he was sure that the Commander could protect Piett. Was this the reason why Obi-Wan refused to fight? To protect him?

People from the booths raised their blasters and other weapons at him, but no one moved. Everyone was waiting for the signal. 

He took a deep breath, and smiled politely at Celissa. His muscles ached from the strange movement.

She wasn't smiling. “I know you imperials have been sniffing me out for months. The thing in Corellia was so unnecessary, really. How many ships crashed?”

Vader made up a number. “Seventy-eight.”

“It was a hundred and two. Anyway, whoever you are, coming here was a mistake. Tell Vader that.” she said.

“I will.” answered Vader calmly.

She stopped. "Wait, will you? Do you really work for him?"

Vader needed to buy more time so Piett and the Commander could get away safely. "Yes, what else do you want me to say to him?" he asked as politely as he could, even if he couldn't hide the aggression in his voice.

She blinked a few times. "Tell him I don't want to kill him. I think he's excellent, but...the Empire needs to go, and the Rebellion too. Look at the mess they're making."

"Is that why you are causing another 'mess' too?" asked Vader.

She shrugged. "Better my mess than their mess. Listen, I've been at it longer than you have. I'm older than you, I've seen the Empire up close, it has to go. I don't want any trouble! But no one listens! See what they're doing with the Rebellion! Any word against the Emperor and you're immediately executed."

"You sound like a rebel." said Vader.

She made a disgusted face. "The Rebellion is a bunch of idealists that get nothing done. You have to fight the Empire with their own toys. They only understand war, especially Vader."

"Is that why you kidnapped the Emperor?" 

Dead silence in the room, and she took a step back. "I never said anything about that."

"Have you?" asked Vader sharply.

"How do you know he is kidnapped?! It's confidential. No one knows." she said.

Vader ignored the question. "You just admitted to knowing. I will inform Darth Vader about your message. He will be most pleased to hear from you." 

The Force shifted around her, like a bomb about to go off.

“No you won't.” she said fast, and Vader felt the blasters pointing at him again. She left his side and raised an arm, and all blasters fired at him.

He redirected the blasts with the Force fast enough to make it look like it was simply malfunction, and made the blasters slip from people's hands. 

While the people were getting their blasters back up, he grabbed a pirate and stood behind him, a blaster placed on his head. Fighting without using a lightsaber was hard. “You shoot again and he dies.”

Celissa crossed her arms. “You think I care?”

“I do," He didn't, "Stop talking.” He slowly started walking away to the main door, blaster still pointed at the pirate. He left the cantina and knew he didn’t have much time.

He had seconds before everyone shot at him again. He contacted the Commander through the bond. _I need transport. Now._

The familiar presence of the boy sparkled inside his brain. _On our way, hold on._

He did not have time. The pirates left the cantina, and he again had over a hundred blasters pointing at him. He missed the stormtroopers that usually surrounded him in scenarios like these.

Celissa walked out last, arms crossed, looking around with a frown. “You’re putting too much of a fuss for this. I don't want to hurt you. You really work for Darth Vader? You’re clearly Force-sensitive. Are you a Sith too?” she asked. 

How could the smartest person around, responsible for two kidnappings, also be so blind? Did she think Darth Vader would keep someone around who was Force-sensitive?

...Wait.

"You are asking too many quest-" exclaimed Vader, but got interrupted.

“Of course that proves nothing," she continued, "Darth Vader should know that he’s got weeks before everything crumbles.”

Vader felt the Commander approaching, but he was still far. He needed to buy time. “Unless you kill the Emperor, the Empire will survive. Darth Vader will find you.” he said. 

She smiled. “Vader’s still at it huh? He’s probably wondering about the ISB agent he sent after me...He’s dead. I really wasn’t gonna find that death star pilot anyway. I have more important things to do.”

“Like hiding the Emperor?” asked Vader.

Where was the Commander? Come on-

Celissa spoke. “I know where he is. Where they all are, actually, but I have more important problems than them,” she said, and then sighed, “Are we done? I'm really tired. Where’s your rescue?”

The Commander was almost there–

“Ah, no one's coming. This is sadder than I thought it would be...” she said.

Almost there–

Celissa raised an arm and all the blasters shot at him. 

There-

The forest behind them shook with the wind, and a ship flew above them. The weapons fell to the ground, and the blasts were stopped mid-air. 

Vader looked up, confused, and saw an imperial ship that glowed with the Force. The ramp was open, and the Commander stood on the furthest side of it, gripping at the supporters not to lose balance. His eyes were closed and his hand was extended.

Vader shook his head in disbelief. _Took you long enough._

_Just get in-!_

Vader ran towards the ship and used the Force to jump as high as possible, and Luke caught Vader by the arm before he fell. The ramp quickly closed and the ship jumped into the atmosphere, leaving dozens of people of different species confused. The blasts they shot had fired at nothing and disappeared.

"Ma'am, what just happened?" asked someone.

Celissa stared at the ship. Her people looked at her for guidance, but she didn't have any. She was already planning to get rid of Darth Vader's new Sith apprentice. "You! Pick up the blasters and let's go. The Emperor has some questions to answer."

*** * ***

Piett's hands were sweating and he wanted to scream for the second time in one day. If this is how Darth Vader's life always was, he just gained more respect for the man. He was piloting the ship up with shaky hands, his piloting skills too recent for this old model.

Luke ran into the cockpit and took his place as the pilot. Piett crashed into the co-pilot seat, sweating cold. “I am never flying this model again.”

“Let’s hope you won’t have to.” said Luke fast, and got them out of the atmosphere before the pirates caught up with them. Once safely in hyperspace, Luke went to check on Vader, and found him sitting on the floor, eyes closed.

His hand was on his chest, and he was struggling to breathe. “Are you alright?” asked Luke, sitting in front of him. Vader opened his eyes and Luke saw that they were back to yellow.

Vader couldn't gather enough strength to speak, so he spoke through the Force. _Celissa Vanis must die._

Luke made a face. “Coming from you, that is understandable. What happened?”

Piett approached them cautiously. He missed the safety of the Executor. At least there people didn’t just shoot at each other. It was usually Darth Vader that...got rid of people he was displeased with.

Right, Darth Vader: the man currently sitting on the floor in front of the Commander, wheezing, exhausted. 

Darth Vader.

“Agent Broly,” said Piett professionally, and Luke saw through him the moment he opened his mouth.

Luke spoke through the bond. _He knows. Doesn’t he?_

_He does._

_Can I say that I know too?_

_He probably knows._

_Does he?_

_I don’t know._

_You are not making any sense._

Vader didn't care. _I should have killed her the moment I had her near._

 _She was going to kill you first-!_ protested Luke.

Vader looked at Piett. “Admiral.” he whispered with a nod.

Piett sat on the floor, unsure what the protocol for sitting on the floor was. 

“Vanis knows about our investigation. She said the Empire had weeks left, and the Rebellion was almost on the verge of crashing.” explained Vader, and stopped to breathe.

“How did she confess this?” asked Luke.

“I was the only person in the room she did not recognise. She confessed everything because she knew everyone was planning to kill me.” explained Vader. Nothing new to him.

Piett blinked. “And how did you know the cantina was full of her people, sir?” he asked.

“The pirate told me everything.” answered Vader.

“Why did you take him outside in the first place?” asked Luke. _He said he knew you from before, that you tried to kill him. He captured you before? Is that true?_

Luke wondered how many stories Vader had to tell, but most likely never would. 

Vader didn’t answer. 

“Well, now that that's cleared up!” exclaimed Luke with fake enthusiasm, and Piett realised they just had an unspoken conversation with each other. The Commander definitely had to know Agent Broly was Lord Vader.

Vader felt uncomfortable that people were seeing him like this; weak and indefensive, especially since they knew who he was. Luke sensed this and told Piett to leave them for a few minutes, which he gladly did. 

Vader tried to stand up but the dizziness was too much, so he sat back on the floor, leaning against the wall. He looked around at the ship, and frowned in disgust. _You chose this ship over all the others in the hangar?_

Luke spoke. “We didn't choose this, the Admiral said it was chosen for us. The rest were probably away."

Vader nodded.

Luke decided to get something out of his chest. "Listen, if I had a hundred blasters pointed at me and couldn’t defend myself without revealing who I am, I would be panicking right now. Even if it’s over, so I understand you.” he said, arms crossed.

Vader just stared at him. _It is not over. Vanis has infiltrated the heart of the Empire. She has played us. I should have foreseen this._

“You couldn't have! At least we learnt that the insurrection is heavily armed.” said Luke, trying to find something positive from this.

_The insurrection is both the Empire and the Rebellion by now._

Vader wasn't used to having weapons pointed at him and not being able to defend himself. Was this how normal people felt? he thought. Exhaustion was creeping in, and his lids felt heavy.

“Hey, you're projecting. And yes it is," said Luke, "When I was with the Alliance I spoke to people that survived an encounter with _you_ , and they still had nightmares. Welcome to normal people world, Lord Vader. If Piett didn't know how to fly this ship, you would be dead.”

_I would never let it get to that._

“Keep saying that to yourself. I think you would rather die than reveal your identity,” said Luke, trying his hardest to remember that he was talking about Vader, not himself.

Vader breathed in and out, slowly. He shouldn’t have made that jump, it was too much on his lungs. 

Luke looked at him, and sighed. "Alright, you get your rest and I'll go find Piett. You should let him out of the Executor every now and then, he's good at this."

Vader managed to gather enough air to speak. "Wait."

Luke turned around.

"Are you....injured?" whispered Vader, hesitating and out of breath. He shut his eyes at the pain it caused to speak, but he had to ask. The Force shifted between them like water on a shaky glass, causing other waves across the galaxy. 

The Commander's Force-presence checked on his curiously. "I'm not injured, just tired. Will you be okay on your own for a while?"

Vader ignored the question, eyes closed. If the Commander was not injured, he could finally get some rest before they reached the Executor. He opened himself up to the dark side, and flinched.

What?

"Lord Vader. Will you be okay on your own for a few minutes?" insisted Luke, unaware of Vader's attempts at meditation.

Vader was wearing a deep frown, eyes closed, trying to open himself fully to the dark side, but he kept flinching. After a few times it accepted him, and he lowered his soul into the warm dark liquid that soothed him. The dark side added pressure to his body, as if there was a gravity pulling him down, and he relaxed.

It hurt his lungs now, but he relaxed.

"Yes. You can go." he said, and opened his eyes for a moment. He watched the Commander leave, and for a moment saw his old self leaving Kenobi after a long mission. Kenobi used to meditate after missions, while he already ran off to the next one.

The cycle was repeating itself. First with the Jedi padawan, now with-

No.

The Commander didn't need any teaching. He wasn't meant to be a padawan. The boy just stopped dozens of blasts in the air with the Force. He was a beacon of light, and Vader didn't want to corrupt it with his teachings.

The dark side failed him twenty-two years ago, and he wouldn't let it fail the Commander now. At this thought, the dark side gravity that pressed him down pressed further, and he physically coughed. It was slowly caging him in, and he screamed through the Force, ripping the gravity apart.

He opened his eyes, out of breath again, and frowned. The dark side meditation wasn't responding him in the way it usually did **—** was it the Commander's presence that scared it away? 

No. 

Vader tried again, and the dark side made his presence shake in discomfort, like the first time he touched it when he was a child. It was a startling feeling at first, but you got used to it to the point that you didn't notice.

But he noticed.

...He was probably tired.

Vader heard the Commander talking to Piett, teaching him the mechanics of the ship, and how the Admiral asked questions because he was worried that they would crash. The Commander laughed, and Vader had never felt the Admiral's feelings so at ease.

Vader didn't understand Jedi Masters back in the day and probably never would. He understood what it felt like to have a reckless padawan, but he was young and naïve back then. He didn't understand caring about someone without expecting anything back.

The Commander cracked a joke, and the Admiral actually laughed. Vader hadn't felt this way, this calm, so at home, since the clone wars ended. He sighed and closed his eyes again, and extended himself out into the Force. Not the dark side, not the light side, just the Force that flooded the galaxy.

It welcomed him like it always did since he learnt how to walk. He felt his lungs starting to heal very slowly, and his senses became sharper. 

After all this time, it didn't feel wrong. There were no Jedi to scold him about how he used the Force, or scold him for having attachments, there was only the Force— and for the first time in decades, Vader felt at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rant and some memes about this chapter [here](https://adelcrait.tumblr.com/post/629282709320220672/lost-and-found-chapter-15-the-boss-after). The Captain Kathmir story is made up. She does not exist in the star wars universe.


	15. Frozen Labyrinth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tag of 'Extensive Use of the Force' applies to these chapters a lot, as well as some discussions about the Emperor's abuse, some minor injuries and a lot of nostalgia and remembering. Vader has ghosts following him around, again.

**"Nothing goes away, not on its own: you deal with it, or it deals with you."**

**  
RHEN VAR, OUTER RIM**

A child ran next to him, occasionally jumping and falling, unsure how to walk. Vader couldn't see their face, and whenever he tried to stop the child, his hand went through them. The child ran towards the edge of a cliff and Vader followed them, trying to stop them from falling. Walking through thick snow was hard, but the child would fall and he wouldn't let that happen.

The child stopped at the edge of the cliff and turned to look at him, tilting their head curiously. Vader raised his arms and walked slowly towards them, trying not to scare them away.

The child didn't move. 

Vader approached them and crouched to see if he could recognise them. The Force evaded all his intents of recognition, and the face was blurry. The ground below them was starting to fall apart from the weight but Vader didn't notice.

It was too late.

The ground disappeared beneath his feet and the last thing he saw was the child fading into thin air before he fell.

A hand grabbed him and he hung in the air. He saw a head appear at the top, keeping him from falling down the cliff. 

Vader stared at him. He had gone off the path to follow the child. The Commander must have found him through the Force.

Luke pushed Vader up and crawled a few steps away from the edge of the cliff. Vader did the same, out of breath, looking behind him and into the woods to find the child. Luke was sweating cold under the winter coat from the scare. 

Vader stood up quickly and walked into the woods again, looking left and right. "Did you not see it?" he asked urgently. 

Luke frowned from under the jacket. It covered most of his face, other than the winter goggles that let his eyes show. He looked around and only saw a forest, and the small clear of snow they were in. The cliff was in front another one, much taller. 

“See what? We're alone on the planet." he said. He dug his gloved hands into the snow and appreciated the sounds it made. Tatooine didn't have snow— it had sand. "Lord Vader, have you seen anything strange?" 

Vader didn't want to tell him about the child that hadn't left his side since they landed on Rhen Var. "No. We have to keep walking before the sun sets." said Vader.

Luke smiled, even if Vader couldn't see it because the winter gear covered him from head to toe. The black imperial winter gear kept them warm, but Luke supposed Vader's helmet had some sort of heating system and that's why he didn't take it off.

Truth be told, if Luke could get a similar helmet right now, he wouldn't mind. Rhen Var was freezing, and as much as he enjoyed the cold, he would much rather do the exploring from inside a warm ship than by foot.

A Force epicentre, they called it. Filled with ancient Jedi and Sith ruins; a beacon for all Force-sensitives in the galaxy. It was the only place they could go to strengthen their connection to the Force, because three days ago Vader stopped mid-sentence because his senses were screaming.

Luke had been next to him, and almost screamed too. Seconds later he felt the disturbance in the Force but couldn't identify it. Vader said it came from the dark side and did not elaborate.

As usual.

They had inspected most Jedi ruins and meditated in them, trying to identify where the disturbance came from. Their connection to the Force increased by tenfold on the planet.

Vader was concentrating on the echoes of the disturbance, and Luke pushed the small floating container with their stuff in front of him. Imperial technology was something else. He just had to keep a hand on the container and guide it in the right direction and it would follow.

Vader didn't speak. The strange child jumped around him and played in the snow. 

Luke was bored out of his mind. "Is it true that there was some Sith weapon here?" he asked as casually as he could.

Vader froze, and the child fell into the thick snow, not leaving a trace. “Yes. The Dark Reaper was destroyed." he said. He wouldn't say that he had dealt with it over twenty years ago and almost died. He swore not to come back to this planet ever again, but alas— _Sidious_.

The Dark Reaper, an ancient Sith super weapon that his father had destroyed. Luke was mesmerized. He thought the stories were pure fantasy. Vader apparently knew about the weapon, so he knew who destroyed it... Luke wished he could ask him about Anakin Skywalker. Vader possessed very strange knowledge, so Luke knew he must have something on his father. 

He kept the questions for later: after all, Vader had promised him to find out what happened to Anakin after the Emperor was found.

The Emperor, who Vader thought was sending a signal through the Force. Luke tried his hardest to ignore that that's why they were on an abandoned planet covered with snow, alone— just because Vader thought the disturbance came from the Emperor.

Luke didn't protest, because as soon as Vader said they were going to a snow planet he jumped straight in into the ship and asked when they were leaving. 

The planet was a Force epicenter. Luke had never felt more attuned to it, and he had never felt Vader's Force presence so intensely. It was like he was closer to him than before, even if physically Vader was a few steps ahead, looking between the woods and the holomap.

He was trying to distract himself, Luke knew, from something else. He couldn't see what was causing Vader stress, but the man carried guilt the same way Luke carried the levitating container.

The child was driving Vader mad. Sometimes it walked in front of him, sometimes it climbed into his back for a piggy ride, and Vader could feel some very slight weight on his back, as if the child was real. The Force reflected his guilt into ghosts, again. First it was Padmé, now it was... the child that might have been. The Force even bothered to manifest some physical weight into the child to make it more real. 

He almost forgot what he was doing and what year it was, and that the Commander was behind him, picking up snow and making bad snowballs. His excitement was palpable, but Vader wanted nothing else than to destroy the planet into pieces. 

They reached an abandoned fortress in the middle of the woods, it was covered in snow, and Vader insisted that they had to go in.

Luke's senses said no.

Vader stopped and turned to look at him. "Commander. It has been abandoned for over thousands of years."

"I have a bad feeling about this. The place _stinks_ from the dark side. I'm not going in." he said simply. He wasn’t in the mood to experiment the dark side. As far as he knew, it felt cold, and he didn’t need any more cold in his body. 

Vader frowned under the mask. "Does it? I cannot feel it."

"Because you're a Sith Lord. Is this a Sith ruin?" asked Luke.

Vader looked at the datapad and read out loud, even if he knew this already. “Darth Mekhis' fortress, abandoned for over thousands of years. It should not have any dark side remains if it has been that long."

Luke walked closer and put a gloved hand on the fortress' walls and concentrated. The place was abandoned, as Vader said, but...

"No, that's not it. It's you."

"Me?" 

Luke walked towards Vader. "Yes. It's not the castle that reeks from the dark side, it's you. More than normal; and you've been acting strange since we landed. What's wrong?" 

"Nothing."

Luke made a face. "Lord Vader."

"Commander." answered Vader slowly. The child hugged his leg and refused to move. He looked down, sighed and decided to let them be. It was just another punishment from the Force to himself, and the worse part was that he knew it was self-inflicted.

The Force projected his biggest loss to him, but whose fault was that? 

It was always about punishment and fault with him, ever since he was a child he felt punished for the smallest of things, and expected punishment for everything. 

He looked down at the child one last time, and felt his heart tighten. 

Luke put a hand on Vader’s shoulder to snap him out of trance, and the touch burned him, even under many layers of black winter gear.

”Lord Vader, you're doing it again. There is no one following us, we're alone.” said Luke, hoping to reassure him. He didn't know what scared him more, that they were alone and Vader was acting like they weren't, or that they weren't alone.

Vader groaned. "No one is following us. The planet is uninhabited." he said, not knowing how to put the Commander at ease. If he said there was a ghost following them, Starkiller would panic.

"Don't lie to me," pleaded Luke, "You keep stopping for no reason to look around and you almost fell off a cliff. Tell me what's wrong."

A strong wind swept them off their feet, followed by a stronger connection to the Force. It was just a few seconds, but it made their skin have goosebumps.

Vader exhaled. He would have to tell the truth eventually, especially if the Commander sensed his anxieties so early on. "The Force is manifesting a ghost. It has been following us since we left the ship." 

Luke’s eyes widened under the goggles. He never thought he would hear Vader talk about ghosts. "A ghost?" he repeated, "I don't see anyone. Is it here, now?”

He looked around and just felt his feet getting cold from standing still. Vader nodded, tilting his mask at the child hugging his leg, even if he knew the Commander couldn't see them.

"Why can't I see it?” asked Luke.

Vader didn't answer. He wouldn't tell anyone his deepest secret, there was a line, and nobody could cross it. 

"I am going into the fortress. Follow me or wait outside, I do not care." he said, annoyed, limping into the abandoned building because it was hard to walk in a straight line when he had a child hugging his leg.

Luke put a hand on Vader's shoulder again to stop him. The child hugging Vader's leg disappeared for a few seconds, and re-appeared when Luke removed his hand. 

Vader frowned. The Force wanted him to go mad.

“I know the fortress isn't as dark side-ish as it used to be, but be careful. The Force triplicates in this planet.” warned Luke. He knew that when Vader was grumpy it was better to leave him alone, and usually the man came back in better spirits after a few hours of solitude. 

But now the man wanted to go into a dark side fortress to meditate, and Luke couldn't stop him. 

Vader didn’t understand the warning. He had a castle on Mustafar, a planet with a strong connection to the Force. He lived there sometimes. A small abandoned fortress in the middle of nowhere wouldn't harm him.

And why would the dark side harm him anyway?

He entered the fortress and the child walked next to him, leaving small and barely visible footsteps in the snow. The only proof that perhaps, only perhaps, the child was real after all.

On the inside, the fortress looked like it would collapse if anyone sneezed in it. The ceilings were tall and the walls were painted a dark granate color that just looked black without any natural light coming in.

The child followed him, and hid between his legs whenever they heard a sound. Vader knew the entire planet was uninhabited, of course, but the wind closed doors and hauled on distant parts of the fortress.

The Force that radiated from the child acted accordingly to the child’s emotions, now fear surrounded him. He acknowledged it, and let it go.

It wasn't his fear to process.

The main entrance doors were open and the natural light illuminated half of the room. It was the ideal place to land ships, had the ceiling been open, but he didn't know what purpose it served thousands of years ago.

He sat in the middle of the area, cross-legged, and took a deep breath. He was trying to ignore the child that sat next to him and was restless. They swung themselves back and forth and jumped all over him.

He concentrated on the Force, as he had done in the last ruins they visited. He felt the Force flow through him, and it gave him more power and clarity. He extended his senses further than the planet, and followed the echoes of the disturbance. His mind extended towards the system nearest planets, and then with a boost of the Force he almost reached the–

"Bahh!”

His concentration snapped in millions of pieces. He had to breathe slowly, in and out, in and out. Yet he couldn't ignore how his heart skipped a beat and immediately dropped everything to check on the child.

It broke the remains of his heart.

How much more did he have to take of this? He opened himself to the Force again, and sent a message to nowhere. _I get it. They are not alive, never were. Stop._

Outside the fortress, sitting on top of the container and absentmindedly picking at food, Luke frowned. _Who is not alive?_ he asked through the bond.

_I was not talking to you._

_Is it the ghost again? Please get out of there. The planet is creepy enough as it is and you decide to go into the creepiest looking fortress ever.  
_

_It is necessary._

_If you say so._

Vader turned to look at the child, and saw that they had disappeared.

Vader exhaled and allowed his guilt to leave him for a moment, and concentrated on the Force again. He had an Emperor to find.

*** * ***

  
Luke opened the container again to see what was the standard camping stuff for the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet, and he wasn't disappointed. There were meals for weeks, even if they were only planning to stay for a few days. He opened a packed meal and sat on top of the container, legs swinging, and ate the meal in silence. 

The Force felt like waves on his skin, changing intensities, and if he concentrated on it he would get dizzy. In moments like these he cursed his genetics for giving him such a strong connection to the Force. Since they landed he felt like he was walking on needles sometimes. Is this how his father felt on this planet twenty years ago, too?

Vader walked out a few minutes later, his presence in the Force annoyed. He was still limping.

"How did it go?" asked Luke. 

"The disturbance did not come from the Inner Core nor the Colonies.” explained Vader. He didn't get this information from meditation: he just knew Sidious wasn't there because they searched every corner of most planets.

But how could he meditate if he had a snoring child on his back?

Luke blinked. "That's it?” he asked, and sensed that Vader was not saying something. "Is the ghost still following you?"

Vader nodded silently, looking at the child that now sat next to the Commander, looking at him.

“Well, I don't know, do you have any idea how to get rid of it?" asked Luke, worried.

Vader snapped. "Rid of it! Why would I want to get rid of it? It's my–“ he stopped mid-sentence.

He didn't dare say it out loud. Speaking the words out loud meant acknowledging its possible existence, and that hurt more than reality.

"Your what?" asked Luke softly. 

Vader didn't answer, and turned to leave, but neither the Commander nor the child followed him. He exhaled and turned around, and thought about the possible ways to phrase this.

“It is someone I wanted to meet, but could not." he said, the words sounding strange through the vocoder. He had no other words to express the simplicity yet the complexity of the statement. 

"And now it's manifesting as a ghost to you? Why don't I have a ghost?" asked Luke. He didn't understand what Vader's confession was about, but he wouldn't press. Vader was already stressed enough, and Luke didn't want him to be on the list of things he should take care of.

"No. We do not need more ghosts!” exclaimed Vader, and then calmed down. The boy did nothing to deserve his old ire at Anakin Skywalker. “Follow me, we must find shelter before the sun sets." 

Luke didn't protest, and jumped down from the container. The planet was cold in a way that no civilisations could warm it up. It was cold from desertion, exhausted from guarding old ruins filled with the Force.   
  
The planet was mostly forests and mountains, sometimes deep valleys that extended into the horizon. Vader had the holomap and he was guiding them up the hills. They walked on an old path covered in snow, and the forest below them became smaller.  
  
Luke wanted to ask about the ghost following Vader mostly to break the silence. He could scream and only Vader would hear it— Luke was sure there weren't even any animals left. 

Before sunset they reached a small cave that gave view to the mountains and the forest below them. It was on the edge of a cliff, and they needed to use the Force to climb in.

Luke blinked a few times as he watched Vader levitate himself into the entrance of the cave. When Vader saw that he hadn't followed him inside, he stuck his head out and looked at him. “What is the matter?” he asked.

Luke didn't know to voice his insecurities out loud. Vader was older than him and had more training in the Force, possibly from more Masters, while Luke...

All his knowledge came from old books and self-taught manoeuvres. He was sure that an eight year old Jedi back in the Republic days knew more than he did. 

“I don't know how to levitate, or fly, or whatever. I could send the container up, but myself? It's a long jump. I can't do it.”

Vader hadn't actually considered that. Without thinking twice about it, he jumped down and smoothed his landing with the Force.   
  
Luke watched the movements, entranced. Vader crossed his arms and walked towards him, and after a few seconds the container had floated inside the cave and it was just the two of them. The forest was behind them, and the snow fell aggressively on their clothes. As if the planet was telling them to hide before the night fell.

“You have never had a Master.” 

Luke snorted. “Thanks for pointing it out.” It hurt enough to have been self-taught at one of the finest arts of the galaxy. As far as he knew, he was one of the last non-dark side users left in the galaxy, and he couldn't even use the Force to jump high.

Levitation wasn't the word he would use to describe it. Levitation was for children, and Luke knew the Force was much more complex and couldn't be reduced to simple words.   
  
When Vader jumped up, Luke could almost feel the Force pushing the ground up from below him. It was a skill that probably took years to master.

”Look, can't you just, I don't know, push me up? It's not really the time to learn now. The sun is setting and the storm doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon so–“

Vader interrupted. “No, you must learn. I have seen you do far more complex manoeuvres with the Force. Your knowledge of the Force is disorganised and lacks depth.”

”Yes thank you, but I can't just fly my way up into the cave,” protested Luke, “I'm not a Jedi.”

”Neither am I.”

Luke made a face, even if Vader couldn't see him. “I am not becoming a Sith either.”

”No, you are not.”

Luke thought that was a strange thing to say in these circumstances, but he didn't voice his thoughts out loud. “So, how do I do this? Do I just jump or–“

Vader moved to stand in front of him. “Yes, you must jump as high as you can. Then bend the Force from behind you so it pushes you where you want to go.”

Luke frowned. “That simple?”

Vader shook his head. “It is not simple. You are lucky to have snow to accommodate your fall, when I learned this manoeuvre there was only concrete.”

Luke hadn't expected Vader to talk about his own training. Luke realised abruptly that he had no clue as to who trained Vader, and when that happened. He had to have a Master, and he doubted that the Emperor had time to teach Vader such useless tricks as _floating_. 

“Stop thinking and do it.”   
  
Luke coughed and blushed, aware that he probably overshared his thoughts through the Force. Jumping with all the layers of winter clothing was hard, and when he was mid-air, he used the Force. He didn't know how or what, but the Force pushed him to the front, and he collided against the rocks below the cave.

Vader crossed his arms. “Do it again. Concentrate on where you want to go.”

Luke sighed and stood up on shaky knees, walking back towards the start point. He didn't understand why Vader insisted on doing this. It was freezing, the rocks were slippery from the snow, and it was almost dark. They still had to make camp, start a fire, eat something–

“Stop _thinking_ , Commander. You must focus on the Force only. It is abundant in this planet, you should not have to try too hard. With your midichlorian count, you should be done with a few more tries.”

Luke, out of breath, frowned. “ _My what?!_ What's a midichlorian?”

Vader shook his head in disbelief. Whoever was responsible for giving the boy outdated books about the Force was pathetic.

Right, Kenobi.

It made sense.

”Enter the cave and I will explain.” said Vader.

Luke groaned under his breath and jumped. This time he concentrated on the cave, pictured the inside of it, and the Force pushed him up. 

But not enough.

He fell headfirst into the snow. "Kark..." he cursed under his breath as he got up. Cursing in Huttese always felt closer to his heart than Basic. At least he could get away with it in front of Vader.

Vader crossed his arms. " _Language_."

Luke blushed. He had forgotten that Vader understood Huttese. "Ma kichi zay." he apologised with a groan, and got up again. He tried jumping, and fell a couple of times more, the Force swinging him around almost anywhere except up.

Luke didn't understand how Vader was so patient. The wind was picking up speed, and the sun was almost set. If they didn't start a campfire now, they would be in total darkness.

As he watched the boy fall a couple of times, Vader stopped to wonder. Kenobi had taught the boy close to nothing about the Force. He considered it a criminal offence to let someone as powerful as Ben Starkiller be untrained— the boy was self-taught in almost everything. 

Lucky for him, Kenobi was dead, and so he couldn't argue with him anymore. 

Luke was getting frustrated by the tenth attempt. “Can't you just get me there and be done for the night? I'm exhausted.” protested Luke.

Vader put his hands on his hips, and sighed. “No. If you do not learn this now, we will stay here for as long as it is necessary.”

”Why do you insist so much on training me?!” exclaimed Luke, beyond tired. All the muscles in his body ached from the impact, and the Force seemed to be avoiding his commands. “I don't need this. All I need is _up_.”

”Then do so. Jump.” insisted Vader. He could feel the Force gathering around the boy, but it was dark. Vader took a step back as he watched the boy clench his fists in frustration and take a deep breath. After a few seconds, the aura around him was clear again. 

Impressive.

Luke stretched his arms and jumped, and this time the Force propelled him up and into the cave. "Ow!"

Vader smiled from below. He jumped into the cave. “Your execution was poor and I believe you used too much strength on your–“

Luke was on the ground on the other side of the small cave, rubbing his head. “I think I overdid it.” he mumbled. He removed his googles and the several hoods to have his head free. He breathed fresh cold air, and rubbed his front, feeling a headache starting to grow.

Vader crouched in front of him, and put a hand on his head to feel for any injuries. “You have not suffered any concussions, but you overdid it. You should not have applied so much strength to the jump.”

He removed his hand, and Luke immediately felt colder. If he could even feel any colder, because without the winter gear covering his skin— he was freezing.

“I thought you said I had to use more strength!” he protested, “What do you want from me?! I can't master this in just a few minutes!”

His voice came out angrier than he expected, and Vader sighed. He still crouched in front of him, looking at the boy. “When the day comes that you will have to use this manoeuvre to save your life, you will be grateful.” he said simply. 

Luke didn't say anything. He was upset that he was forced to try a complex Force technique at the end of the day. He was physically exhausted from walking and climbing, the last thing he needed was physical exercise.

He stood up on shaky knees, and put a hand on the cave walls for balance. He was still dizzy from the impact, but he tried walking in a straight line towards the container at the entrance of the cave.

Vader watched the boy silently, feeling the Force exuding from him like smoke from a fire.

The boy was a powerhouse in the Force and he didn't even know it.

Vader didn't notice how he had slipped into thinking about Anakin Skywalker, _again_. When he was Starkiller's age, he was reckless, impulsive and dangerous. He used the Force however he wanted and was starving for more power. He was a powerhouse with indefinite capacity for more, but he had slipped.

He got what he wanted, but the price he had to pay made it all seem worthless.

Luke rolled the container closer to the middle of the cave and opened it. He had a camp to make. He picked up some wood and placed it on the ground, and looked inside to find something to start a fire. 

Vader watched the boy in trance while he was losing himself in memories that were permanently locked inside his mind. His Master had complete access to them, and Vader didn't mind, because Anakin Skywalker was dead to him. Remembering a dead man wasn't dangerous.

Ben Starkiller, in contrast to Anakin, was a collected powerhouse that lived in the present. He thought himself so insignificant that he didn't realise that he had mastered the levitating technique at almost first try.

Back in the Temple, it took young Jedi years to even start levitating. It was a rare skill that was rare even in the Masters, yet this boy...

Vader wanted to find out who his parents were. He knew that the Force wasn't always transmitted genetically, but the magnitude of the boy's power could only be accounted for his parents' Force-sensitivity.

Luke eventually found a box of matches and started the fire. Vader flinched instinctively at the heat, even if he was standing away from it.

”I think this should do for the night. There's more wood inside if it dies out.” said Luke, and moved back to look inside the container. 

Vader stood up and walked towards the entrance of the cave, scanning for possible intruders. As always, the planet was deserted. He had never felt so alone in the Force...

....if he ignored the contained supernova that was Starkiller a few steps away from him, inspecting the objects inside the container. 

Vader looked down and froze.

Luke felt Vader’s presence shift drastically from mild irritation to deep sorrow. It was as if the Force had taken his heart out and threw it deep into the planet's core.

”Lord Vader?” asked Luke, hesitantly.

Vader couldn't stop staring at the ghost of the child below, whose arms were raised as a way of saying that he wanted to be with him too.

Luke walked to see what Vader was staring at, but there was nothing. He looked at the man, whose expressions were hidden under the helmet. 

“Is it the ghost?” whispered Luke.

Vader just nodded. He wanted to be left alone, possibly climb another mountain and spend the night sulking in his personal, twenty-year old long misery.

The child stared at him, trying to make small jumps as if that would close the distance between the ground and the cave. He had focused on teaching Starkiller a Force trick and forgotten about his _real-not-so-real_ child following him.

In fact, Vader didn't remember seeing the child when the Commander was trying the jumps.

Strange.

Perhaps the child disappeared whenever his attention was elsewhere. But as far as he knew, as soon as he left the planet, he would part with the only version of his child that existed. 

Existence was a difficult word to express the state of the ghost. He was the only one that could see it, and it was the product of his rotten unconscious that he Force just mirrored. 

Luke placed a hand on his shoulder and Vader snapped out of it. He looked at him from behind the mask, wanting to leave and come back in the morning. The dark side was calling to him, inviting him in, wanting to give him protection from his own self. It was inviting him into a warm pool to get reconnected with his misery and grief. 

“Do you want some soup?” asked Luke.

What?

Vader blinked at how simple life was around Ben Starkiller. He nodded absentmindedly, still clinging into the dark side for his dear life. It saved him before, it will save him from the night now.

Luke patted his shoulder a few times and smiled. “Alright, I'll try not to burn the soup. Come to the campfire whenever you want, it gets really cold at night.”

Vader turned around and watched the Commander walk away into the middle of the small cave, and pulling two plastic boxes out of the container. The boy sat on the ground, in front of the campfire, and read the instructions under his breath. 

Vader looked at the campfire and then back at the night. The darkness was inviting, but he could see better in the light. He walked towards the Commander, and wasn't there to see how the ghost of the child disappeared into the Force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a disclaimer: the planet is indeed in the Outer Rim, and it has Temples, but other than that everything is made up. I just supposed that if I made it [the planet] super Force-sensitive, then it would mirror a Force-sensitive person's inner fears and regrets if they were on the dark side, thus the child.


	16. Memories

The snowfall was mild now, and the ice was melting. They left the cave at sunrise, with Luke still carrying the floating container and Vader staring at the holomap as they walked.

“Where are we going now?” asked Luke. He wanted to know that he wasn't going to have to do Force jumps today.

”Temple.” said Vader simply. He tried to avoid this place of their long list, but if they didn't go to the Temple they would pass a great opportunity that might give him answers.

”What kind of Temple?” asked Luke.

Vader took a deep breath. “A Jedi Temple.”

Luke almost stopped on his tracks, but he didn't want Vader to notice his surprise. Luke hadn't been to a Jedi temple in years. While he had come across Sith ruins, they scared him, but Jedi ruins... they felt warm and inviting.

Warm was something he definitely needed now. The planet, sensing intruders, made the weather unbearable. Luke almost wished he could go back to Hoth, where at least the sun created some warmth.

Vader seemed unaffected by the cold, but the man had a heating system in his helmet. 

They walked through a clear filled with thick snow, and they couldn't see far because of the fog. If it wasn’t for Vader’s holomaps, they could die here and never find their way back to the ship.

The snowstorm had picked up speed, and Luke couldn't see through the snow goggles. There wasn’t much to see anyway.

His legs bumped into something. He stopped walking and rubbed his goggles to see better, and frowned.

A small animal was sitting in front of him, looking at him curiously. Vader noticed the surprise through the Force and turned around harshly, igniting his lightsaber in the process.

The red lightsaber and the hum scared the animal away, and Luke raised an arm to stop him. "It's harmless, wait."

Vader clenched his jaw, but didn't deactivate his lightsaber. Luke crouched in front of the animal and looked at it. 

Vader spoke. "Do not touch it."

"It's harmless," repeated Luke, and the vulptex laid down in the snow and curled on itself, purring loudly. 

Vader frowned behind the mask and deactivated the lightsaber. Luke placed a hand on its nose, the only area not covered by crystals, and the creature purred louder. "Hello, you. What are you doing here? I thought this planet was uninhabited."

"Vulptices are not native to Rhen Var." said Vader.

Luke continued petting the animal, and the vulptex opened its eyes and blinked at him. The eyes started to glow and Luke felt drawn to them.

"Commander," asked Vader, "Leave the animal. We must go."

Luke didn't answer. The Force was showing him something, he could hear an echo across the snowfall breeze, the beginning of a name. The creature stared through him, and Luke's eyes started to shine. Across the field, Luke could see a shadow, and he walked to it, hypnotized. The vulptex led the way, occasionally turning around to see if Luke was following it.

The shadow stood motionless a few hundred steps away, yet Luke saw it clear as day. He looked around and saw that he was alone, Vader was gone, and there was only the vulptex in front of him. Luke walked towards the shadow until he stood in front of it. 

It wore a long brown robe and the snowflakes melted on the cloth, making it dark brown. The face was covered in a shadow, and Luke tried to get closer, but the shadow took a step back. 

A breeze of the wind made the hood fall off, and Luke saw someone without a face. He tried concentrating, but the face was blurry, and yet...He knew this person.

The shadow stood a head taller than him, and exuded cold. Luke touched its hand, the only one visible, and it was cold. The person looked at him, and the Force screeched.

Luke frowned, and the Force guided his next words. "Dad?"

The person nodded slowly, and Luke exhaled deeply. He got his ghost, he wanted this— but he didn't expect it to be this painful. 

"I will find out what happened to you, I promise." whispered Luke, trying not to cry.

 _There is nothing to find._ said the Force inside his head.

"What do you mean?" asked Luke.

Before his father could answer, the Force swept him off his feet and he fell backwards into the thick snow. When he opened his eyes he saw Vader, unmasked, looking down at him. 

"Commander?" he asked, concerned.

Luke quickly sat down, looking around them. It was just a field covered in snow, and he couldn't see that far because of the fog. "Have you seen him?!" he asked, out of breath.

Vader exhaled, still crouching next to him. "There's no one else here."

"Wh- where's the animal?!" asked Luke, desperate.

Vader blinked. "There is no animal. This planet is uninhabited. Did you hit your head?" he asked, confused.

"No, I mean- there was this crystal fox. You tried to kill it, and you said that vuptices aren't even native to Rhen Var."

Vader frowned. "Vulptices? They can only survive on Crait.”

Luke was hyperventilating. "No, we saw one! Right here. And then it led me to this...this shadow in the Force, and I-"

Vader exhaled deeply and stood up, offering Luke his hand. Luke took it and stood up, and Vader placed a hand on his shoulder. "Commander, look at me." said Vader, and Luke looked at him, and then behind him, trying to see if the ghost of his father was still there. There was no one.

He looked back at Vader.

"Rhen Var is known for causing hallucinations. This planet is uninhabited not because of the climate, but because it drove people mad. Whatever you saw was not real." assured Vader.

Luke swallowed tears. "It was real. I spoke to him-"

"Who?" asked Vader carefully.

"My father." whispered Luke as if it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy.

Vader exhaled. He understood all too well what it felt like to see dead family members. "The planet is trying to open those wounds, you must remember that they are closed. The longer we stay, the more hostile the Force will become. We must treat carefully now.”

Luke nodded, and they continued walking in silence. Luke couldn't get the image out of his head.

The Jedi Temple stood alone at the edge of a tall cliff, covered in snow. Up close, it was much taller than Luke expected. The walls had cracks and the building looked like it could fall apart any minute now.

The Force flowed from the building like a river that ended as a waterfall at the edge of the cliff. Luke had never felt so connected to a Temple in all his years of exploring the galaxy.

He walked in with Vader on his tail, and stopped on his tracks. The ceiling was tall and the building looked like a chapel, and had some holes in the ceiling. The snow that fell through created water poodles in the already uneven floor.

If there was a galactic definition of a ruin, this would be it.

Luke saw mosaics on the walls and inscriptions he didn't understand. He followed broken sentences on the wall with his fingers, mesmerised.

The Force felt like an echo, and Luke was sure that if he projected a thought, any Force-sensitive in the galaxy could hear it. If there was an epicentre to the Force in the Outer Rim, it was in this building.

Luke’s mind was pulled in another direction. His senses picked up a strange smell on the floor, and he crouched to touch the ground.

He felt like he was soaked in cold water all of a sudden, and he saw shadows and ghosts and the souls of all the people that walked those grounds. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the smell that was calling to him, and saw another shadow.

In the middle of the Temple, at the center of a large mosaic on the ground, stood a shadow covered with a long robe, and it sensed him too. Luke frowned more, trying to increase his concentration, and he felt the shadow speaking.

He didn’t understand what it was saying, or to whom it was speaking. He didn’t even hear a voice, but it was clear that the shadow didn't want to be seen. 

Luke recognised the presence because his blood boiled, and with recognition came his surprise when the shadow turned and looked straight at him.

Luke hyperventilated, and his abrupt disconnection from the Force vision caused him pain. When he could breathe again, he opened his eyes and saw Vader slowly walking around the Temple, hands clasped politely behind the back.

Luke walked to him angrily. “Why didn't you tell me you've been here before?!” he exclaimed. The intensity of his emotions increased in the planet, and it increased even more in the Temple.

He had to be careful.

Vader turned around curiously. “Enlighten me as to how you came to that conclusion.” he said slowly. His masked voice was creepy, especially when a person who was notorious for his anger was now so calm.

Vader didn’t want to say that he had been here twenty-five years ago during the clone wars, trying to stop a Sith superweapon. Especially since the boy knew about the superweapon. He might trace it to back to Anakin Skywalker, and Vader _did not_ want that to happen.

Luke snorted. “Can’t you feel it too?!”

“This is a Jedi Temple. All I feel is hatred.”

”Yes but other than that,” protested Luke, “Can't you see _them_?!”

Vader blinked a few times. “Are you hallucinating? There is no one in the planet, Commander. No one. I warned you to be careful. Whatever you saw, it was not real.”

Luke took a deep breath to calm himself down. The last thing he needed now was to lose his temper. “Quit lying. I saw you here. It was you.”

Vader's eyebrows rose and his heart skipped a few beats. Suddenly breathing was difficult. “What are you implying?”

If the boy was experiencing some mild form of psychometry, he was more powerful than Vader thought.

”I don't know what I’m implying. Your scent is all over the place, but it was... _different_. I just knew it was you before you turned around. You saw me.”

The Force bounced between them like a tennis ball, Luke throwing questions at him and Vader deflecting them with fear.

“Since when do you experience psychometry?” asked Vader, impressed.

Luke opened his mouth to speak, hysteric, but didn't know what to say. “I don't even know what that is! Answer my question.”

”Answer mine first,” said Vader, good at interrogation, “Psychometry is when you touch an object and you feel the history behind it. What have you touched?”

“The walls and the ground. I saw a lot of shadows passing by, but time slowed down when you appeared. You stood right there,” explained Luke, pointing at the middle of the small temple, “and you were talking to someone.”

This was much worse than Vader thought. The boy’s Force-sensitivity was one in a million. 

“Is it true then? Have you been here before?” asked Luke.

Vader walked towards the center of the temple, and Luke followed him angrily. “Answer my question. Have you been here before? Why haven't you told me?”

Vader crouched and put a hand on the ground. He felt nothing. The Jedi Temple didn't want him.

”I was here a long time ago on a mission,” he admitted, annoyed by the rejection, “The Temple remembers me. What else did you see?”

Luke walked to stand in front of him, arms crossed. “Passing shadows. I suppose it was Jedi from the past–“

Abruptly, Luke realised.

A Dark Lord of the Sith had no reason to be at a remote Jedi temple unless he had been a Jedi himself. 

Force, it all made sense. Vader had to have learnt about the Force somewhere.

He didn't know if it was better to voice his deductions out loud or keep them to himself, but he was exhausted and tired from Vader’s mysticisms. 

Vader stood up and walked slowly around the Temple, trying to reconnect with it. “This Temple served as a rendezvous point in the Outer Rim for Jedi. It used to have more wings, but this is all there is left of it now.” he said almost nostalgically. 

Without knowing it, Vader just confirmed that he was a Jedi. Luke wanted to know the entire story, but felt like it wasn't his place to ask.

The Force clung to him like insects, and he felt it as if the gravity was pulling him down. 

He fell to the ground and landed on his knees, and his hands touched the mosaic again. The surroundings changed and he heard clear voices now. He blinked a few times and saw the Temple reconstructed; the ceiling was fixed, and there were stairs that led to other buildings. The mosaic under his feet was reconstructed, and so were the inscriptions on the walls.

People walked around, some were politely chatting in the corners, some were going up the stairs. There were children trying to levitate their friends, and laughing when they failed.

Luke got up, confused and startled at how hard the Force hit him. He felt warmth from the other Jedi, but they didn't seem to notice him. But if the Jedi were still alive, that meant the Empire didn't exist yet. 

He sighed.

Yet.

“I don't think it's safe for you to stay here for long, my dearest padawan.”

Luke had to do a double-take to remember whom this voice belonged to. He turned around and saw two people walking into the Temple. A bearded man in long brown robes walked in confidently, with a hand placed on his beard, deep in thought. He exuded calm confidence, and people turned to look at him. 

"Master Kenobi." some child said, bowing down to him.

Luke froze, but his attention was drawn elsewhere. He felt the Force turning him around, and saw a blond boy trying to catch up to Kenobi, jogging awkwardly. The boy, aged twelve or thirteen, glared at the other children and tug at Kenobi's robes, trying to get his attention. “The Council sent me here for a mission, Master. The first one since the incident. I don't want to fail them. I _have_ to stay!” 

Luke wanted to scream. 

The young face of Darth Vader held similarities to his current face when he was angry. He wore a deep frown as he protested against something Luke didn’t understand. He also wore a long brown Jedi robe, and underneath it, Luke could see clenched fists.

Kenobi and the boy passed right next to him, but neither of them saw him. Up close, he could recognise the bearded man but didn't want to believe it.

Ben Kenobi.

Ben Kenobi calling Darth Vader his padawan.

Darth Vader calling Ben Kenobi Master. 

Luke had to rub his eyes a couple of times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. The Force must have had its reasons to show him this, so he followed them, not bothering that they would notice him, because technically speaking, he wasn't even alive back then.

“No, you're still injured. You must go back to Coruscant. I'm on the Council, and I grant you the permission to go.” said Kenobi.

The young Darth Vader crossed his arms in frustration, but did not accept defeat. Luke wasn't surprised. “At least can I stay with you? I don't want to go back to Coruscant! Especially _without_ you!”

Kenobi stopped and placed a hand on Vader's shoulder, but the boy didn't want to look at him. “You know I would love for you to stay, but I am needed here, and if you stayed by my side you could be in danger.”

”But those crystals are worthless anyway Master! There's enough on Ilum and–”

Luke frowned. Crystals?

Kenobi answered as patiently as he could, even though Luke could recognise a twitch of the eyebrow as mild irritation. ”You know they are not worthless. I am in charge of the supervision–“

”I can supervise too! If you gave me my lightsaber back...” said Vader.

If only the boy knew that if his older self had his lightsaber confiscated, he wouldn't ask for it. He would simply kill.

But the boy in front of him knew nothing about that, yet. Luke realised that he didn't even know when Vader turned to the dark side. It could be an hour from now and he wouldn't even be present to stop it.

Kenobi sighed. “You cannot have it back unless you apologise to Master Windu's padawan.”

”But she started it!” protested Vader.

“Perhaps, but that was not reason to injure her.”

Vader crossed his arms. “I'm not apologising, Master.”

Luke wasn't surprised, but it was strange knowing that Darth Vader was already getting into physical fights when he was barely a teenager.

“Then you won't get your lightsaber back.” said Kenobi patiently. 

”I'll build a new one!” exclaimed the kid.

Luke stood next to them, and actually laughed out loud. He didn’t expect Darth Vader to be so enthusiastic about anything. He realised that he knew close to nothing about the man, who seemed to be just a shadow of the boy he used to be.

It was then that the boy looked at him straight in the eyes, and his eyebrows rose. The Force broke through the fabric of time, and he saw Luke.

”Master?” whispered Vader, scared, tugging at Obi-Wan's robes. 

Kenobi was busy reading something on his datapad, and answered without looking up. “What is it now?”

Vader hid behind him, still making straight eye contact with Luke. “It's happening again.”

Kenobi stopped reading and looked around. His eyes passed straight through Luke. “It's just the Force, it's okay.”

Sometimes it was hard to be Master to a padawan with such strong connections to the Force. A few years ago he started saying that he saw strange people when they were alone in the room. The Grand Jedi Masters attributed it to Force visions, and didn't give it much thought, but Obi-Wan worried.

”Can you describe it?” he asked, crouching down in front of Vader.

Luke shook his head slowly, trying not to scare the boy, but also telling him that he shouldn't describe him to a Jedi Master.

”He's saying I can't,” said Vader, “but he's old, wearing winter clothes.”

Kenobi nodded. “How old?”

”Like Windu's padawan.”

” _Master_ Windu's padawan,” corrected Obi-Wan with a sigh, “Is he saying something to you?”

Vader looked at Luke, at his eyes behind the goggles, and then at his hands, taking him in. Luke didn't dare blink or breathe. “No.”

”Can he hear you?” asked Kenobi.

”Can you hear me?!” exclaimed Vader, and Kenobi winced at the volume.

Luke nodded slowly.

Vader nodded back at Kenobi.

It felt strange talking to the twelve year old version of the scariest man in the galaxy. It also felt...natural. 

Overall, Luke was scared and wanted to go back to the timeline where Darth Vader still whined, but it was an adult whine.

“Ignore him, and he will go away. They all do, alright? Let's go.” said Kenobi, standing up and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Luke panicked. Something about those crystals seemed important. “Wait!” he said.

Vader stopped on his tracks and turned around. “What do you want?! Leave me alone.”

Luke dismissed the familiar tone of an annoyed Vader, and continued. “What are these crystals you talk about?” he asked carefully.

Vader squinted at him. “I don't like you. Why should I tell you?”

Kenobi was worried. “What is he saying?”

”He wants to know about the crystals, Master.” said Vader.

Kenobi became alarmed. “Don't tell him. We must get out of here, now. I’m sending you back to Coruscant. This planet is dangerous for you.” he said rapidly, and grabbed Vader’s hand to drag him out of the corridors.

Luke pleaded now. “Please, wait. I know you don't like me, _trust me I know_ — but it’s important. I just want to know. I can get you a crystal if you want to, so you can build the new lightsaber you want. I know how bullies are like.”

Vader let Kenobi’s hand go and walked back to him. Luke noticed that his angry walk was still the same. Vader stopped in front of him, and crossed his arms. “Why should I trust you?”

The fact that he even turned around to listen to him was already a victory to Luke.

”You trust the Force, don't you? It sent me here, for some reason. I don't really understand, sorry.” he said calmly. Inside he was anything but calm— seeing Vader’s young self was enough to drive him to hysteria.

Vader blinked a few times. “Are you from the future?!” he asked, mesmerised.

Luke snorted quietly. “Yeah, I suppose.”

Vader's eyebrows rose up, and his mouth fell open. “That’s so cool! What kind of ships do you have? Are they-“

Luke sighed. He didn't know how much time he had left. “The crystals, Lord V-,” he cut himself off, _nope_. The boy wasn't a Lord yet, maybe only in his mind, “Please. Tell me about them.”

Vader looked at him and Luke could feel him scanning him through the Force, but it felt different. Whenever he had Vader's attention in real life, he felt observed as if he stood inside a cold cloud, but now...

He could recognise it was Darth Vader because the boy had power, but his Force-presence was light.

He was a Jedi.

The bond he shared with the grown up Vader was non-existent at the moment, and Luke found that he felt like a part of him was missing. He didn't want to think about what that meant.

“There are kyber crystals in an underground cave on this planet. We just found 'em recently, and they want to start looking into it now. Or find a way in. I dunno.” explained the boy.

Luke nodded. “Do you know where it is?”

Vader shook his head. “Around here somewhere. It has to be near the Temple, that's where they get the Force from....I think.” he explained, proud of his knowledge. He felt like a Master. If the strange ghost in front of him wasn't _so_ old, he would like to keep him as a padawan. The man listened to him.

Luke didn't know enough about lightsaber crystals to dispute the knowledge he was given. “Why are they interested if there are crystals on Ilum already?”

Vader shrugged. ”I dunno.”

Luke had almost forgotten he was speaking to a child. The real Vader, as far as Luke remembered, never answered with ‘I don't know’; he always had answers and snarky comebacks for everything. 

But then again, he was speaking to a child.

“Fair enough, thank you!” said Luke, smiling, and wanted to reach out a hand, but realised he was a ghost, and if he had the capacity of touch, it might disturb the Force too much.

Vader nodded, smiling. 

Luke realised it was the first time he saw a smile on Vader's face. It was like staring at another different person entirely. 

“You know what, I changed my mind. I like you. Who are you?” asked Vader, “I know you're from the future and all, and it's _super_ wizard, but you can tell me! I won't tell Obi-Wan about you, I promise. Even though I think he would like you. But he's _my_ Master. Go find yourself another one, but not Windu. He's mean.”

Luke made a mental note to research about this Windu person and what had he done to make a twelve year old so upset.

“I can't tell you much, but you will know who I am, eventually.” said Luke, confused at his own words.

Vader opened his mouth, mesmerized. “That’s _so_ cool! Alright! Goodbye! May the Force be with you!” he said, running away and waving him goodbye.

Luke blinked a few times, wanting to follow the boy, but the ground below his feet started to shake, and the lights of the Temple went off. He felt a void opening inside his chest, and he kneeled on the floor, trying to breathe. 

The Force was ripping him out of the wrong timeline, and he closed his eyes. He allowed himself to fall, and the Force caught him.

*** * ***   
  


Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith and current possible heir to the Empire, was in panic. The Commander had passed out over ten minutes ago, and whenever Vader tried to access his mind through the Force, it pushed him back.

Whatever was happening, the Force did not want him to wake up Ben Starkiller.

He walked around the Temple, or whatever was left of it, in circles. He had taken his helmet off because he was hyperventilating inside and the cold air made him feel awake.

They shouldn't have come to the Temple. Nothing good came out of Jedi Temples. 

If ten years ago he had known there was a Force-sensitive boy with a power equal to his in the galaxy, that would eventually come here and use psychometry to get himself into a Force-induced coma, Vader would have ordered the complete destruction of the Temple. 

He walked back towards the Commander, who was laying on the cold ground, breathing slowly, brows furrowed, possibly experiencing the most intense vision of his life, and sat next to him.

He couldn't do anything because the Force would push him back, as it was constantly pushing him out of Jedi monuments and temples, so he just stared.

He stared at the mountains, at the snow falling through the broken ceiling, and tried to remember how the Temple was like before its destruction.

But alas, he had visited so many temples when he was a padawan that he couldn't remember any details. He visited it again when he was twenty and had to deal with the Dark Reaper weapon, but...

“Ngkh.”

Vader’s attention fell on Starkiller. The boy was talking. “Commander?” he asked, looking at him.

”Mmb.”

Vader sighed impatiently. “That is most interesting, but could you tell me what the Force is showing you?” said Vader to no one in particular. 

The boy started to shake, and Vader picked up his head and placed it on his lap, removing the sweat from the boy's front. Vader felt the Force presence of the Commander coming back like a car crash, and then Luke opened his eyes abruptly.

He was out of breath, and his eyes darted all over the area in panic. When they landed on Vader’s face, he shut them close and exhaled.

”Oh, it's just you.” muttered Luke, and leaned back against whatever his head was laying on. It was warm, that's all that mattered.

“What happened?” asked Vader urgently.

Luke realised his torso was laying on Vader's lap, and he moved himself out of the grasp, uncomfortable with the touch. He sat on the floor and rubbed his eyes, trying to get sensation back to his cold body. 

He looked at Vader and tried not to see the similarities between the boy he saw and the man he was now. For some reason, he always thought Vader was born like this— inside a helmet, tall and intimidating, in his forties.

Now that he knew he used to be an overly optimistic, overly enthusiastic child, he didn't know how to address him. “I think I time traveled?”

Vader's eyebrows rose in surprise. “Time travel is not possible.”

Trust me, I tried, he wanted to add.

An hour ago, Luke wouldn't have argued with that. If he knew time travel was possible he would have gone to meet his parents years ago. 

“It _is_ possible. I was here, in this same Temple, and–“

Luke remembered his discovery: Vader used to be Kenobi's padawan. They had spoken about Kenobi several times in the past now, and Vader hadn't mentioned it not even once.

Luke felt angry, and betrayed; but he wasn't surprised. Darth Vader was a man of many secrets, and Luke knew it would take him at least decades to even get to know Vader's real name.

”...I saw Kenobi.”

Vader's expression changed from surprise to fear. He clenched his jaw on instinct. The fact that they were still sitting on the floor like children on a playground added less depth to the seriousness of the situation.

If the Commander saw Kenobi, he must have seen–

“I talked to you.” admitted Luke.

Vader closed his eyes and stood up, pacing around the mosaic at the centre of the Temple. Luke followed him with his eyes, looking at how he stepped and recognised the walk of the twelve year old Darth Vader he met a few minutes ago.

“You were, um... I don't know, twelve or thirteen years old?” said Luke.

Vader didn't care how old he was. He only cared about one thing. “Did you hear any names?”

Luke frowned at the strange choice of question. “No, why?”

Vader exhaled silently. If the Commander found out his identity as Anakin Skywalker, the entire Empire would go after his head. An ex-Jedi could not be the heir to the Empire, even if the ex-Jedi was Lord Vader. His life would be ruined. ”Continue.”

Luke nodded. “I- it was so strange. I saw the Temple as you said it was, there were stairs over there,” he said, pointing, “and the entire place was... warm through the Force.”

Vader nodded, and still paced around anxiously. “What did he say to you?” he asked, wanting to know what Anakin Skywalker said. The boy had been stupid, and Vader slowly felt the second-hand embarassment creeping up his spine.

Luke frowned. “Who? You?”

Vader didn't want to answer that question.

“Um. At first nobody noticed me, but then I laughed because you were saying something about a lightsaber and I guess you saw me. Kenobi asked if you were seeing ghosts again, and you said yes, and at first you didn't want to talk to me but-“

Vader was grateful that the Commander didn't want to discuss Kenobi now. It was the last thing on his list of things that he wanted to discuss. He would rather gossip about some Governor's failed marriages than Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Luke weighed his next choice of words very carefully. The crystals were apparently very important, for some reason, and if there wasn’t any imperial presence in Rhen Var that meant the Empire didn't know of their existence. It was such an insignificant conversation to a twelve year old that Vader must have forgotten about the crystals.

“We talked, and I said I was from the future, and you said it was super cool, and then it ended.” said Luke, smiling.

Vader could sense that the Commander was leaving something important out, but he dismissed it. “Why did the Force show you this?”

Luke couldn't answer without revealing the existence of the strange crystals. “I don't know. I touched the ground, and I must have...psychometried- psychometricized- whatever, the Temple.”

”No, you did not simply use psychometry, Commander. You caused the Force to send you back in time to this exact area. Why?” asked Vader. He was already beyond being impressed by the Commander's Force-sensitivity. 

”Hey, it's not my fault! It's the first time I'm using this psychometry thing. I didn't even know I had it.”

”You do not have it. It is the planet that increases your connection to the Force. As soon as we leave, you will lose it.” explained Vader absentmindedly, looking around for clues as if the walls would tell him.

Luke saddened. Psychometry was driving him mad, but it was incredibly useful if he could master it. He sat in silence for a while, feeling his body wake up, and watched Vader pace around the Temple.

He had almost forgotten what they were here to do.

”So, will you meditate here or not?” asked Luke.

Vader could see similarities in the harsh intonation between Starkiller and Skywalker, and dismissed the thought angrily. Anakin Skywalker was taking up too much space in his brain lately.

”Yes, the disturbance in the Force.” he said, and sat down on the ground. 

Luke nodded, sitting next to him, and closed his eyes. He reached out into the Force and it welcomed him warmly, even after putting him through the stress of time travel. The Force felt like uncle Owen complaining about friends from Anchorhead and then being polite and kind to their faces when they came for a visit.

Luke laughed silently. The Force was Uncle Owen.

Vader took a deep breath and reached out, but the Temple did not allow him to go beyond the planet’s orbit, and he doubted the Emperor was there.

He groaned loudly.

”Can I help?” asked Luke.

”Unless you can recognise the Emperor's presence in the Force, no.” said Vader. Eventually he gave up on the Force. If he couldn't meditate at the Jedi Temple, he wouldn’t be able to meditate anywhere else. The light side of the Force surrounded this area, and it kept him caged.

The Commander, on the other hand...

”You can find him.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

”You can trace the disturbance and stay in that part of the galaxy, and then I will find you and do the rest.” explained Vader.

Luke had no idea what that meant, but he closed his eyes and reached out. He felt like he was connected to a powerful radio antenna, and it broadcasted his presence in the Force to the entire galaxy. 

He saw the darkness of space, the roars of Dagobah and the eerie silence of Tatooine. The disturbance called to him, and he followed it.

Vader was watching his Force presence carefully. As soon as he felt any sign of darkness, he would occupy Luke's place and locate the Emperor.

Luke felt cold, and it wasn't because of the weather. He felt tingles wrapping him in, and he stopped in front of the Unknown Regions, not wanting to go further in. Without saying a word, Vader sensed the darkness and took Luke’s hand in his, and closed his eyes. He followed the path Luke left in the Force and stopped where his presence was.

The Unknown Regions.

He let Luke’s hand go and concentrated on trying to find any traces of the Emperor's presence in the Force. There was so much death and misery in the Unknown Regions that he wanted to leave. A strange familiar tingling crept up his spine, and he frowned. 

Luke had to stop in front of the Unknown Regions because the Force stung him, and warned him not to go inside. Before he could even warn Vader, the man had jumped head first into the pool of darkness.

Vader heard whispers and shouts, as well as screeches and animal roars. It was all a cocktail of noises in his brain, and he reached out his hand into the darkness of the Regions.

A cold hand grabbed him and he felt himself getting pulled inside the dark sulphur-like waters, and he panicked.

Luke immediately took Vader’s hand on his, and closed his eyes. He saw Vader’s presence in the Force fighting against someone else’s, and Luke panicked too.

He concentrated on the light side of the Force and his presence illuminated the darkness, and while the dark side creature was distracted, he grabbed Vader’s presence and left. The creature did not follow, but Luke made sure to erase their trace through the Force.

Whatever that thing was, it was powerful. It almost drowned _Darth Vader_.

Luke opened his eyes and took a deep breath, and saw Vader collapse towards him. Luke held him up and checked his pulse. He was breathing, but he was unconscious. “Lord Vader, can you hear me?!” he exclaimed.

The Force felt muted.


	17. Plastic Chains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for discussions about the Emperor's abuse towards Vader because Luke is having none of it.

The Force watched two of the most powerful Force users in the galaxy concentrated in one place together. Luke Skywalker could move mountains if he wished, but he didn't know that yet. Right now the boy was focused on finding a pulse, and when he did, he visibly relaxed. 

Vader opened his eyes and looked around the area, confused. He felt like he hadn't breathed in a long time. The man was still awkwardly laying half on top of Luke, who was sitting down on the frozen mosaic ground. 

"I think the Emperor is still alive." mumbled Vader. He slowly got up and started pacing in circles, his head lightly spinning.

He needed to think.

“You’re _unbelievable_ ,” said Luke, irritated, “I thought you were gone!”

Vader snorted and looked at him. “That is not enough to kill me.”

Sidious had merely reached out to him, if he wanted to hurt him he could have done much worse. Vader felt cold, and his mind was already spiraling thinking about which search parties would accept flying into the Unknown Regions.

Nobody in their right mind would go there.

He stopped. Since when did he care? He could simply order anyone, and they would go. Problem was, Vader was hesitating.

Luke stood up and walked to Vader. "Hey, maybe you should rest a bit? You were unconscious."

Vader didn't understand why that was important. He had work to do. They found some vague coordinates as to where Sidious was, that was the best clue they had in months. His wellbeing now didn't matter. He had a job to do.

"Of course it matters! Lord Vader, listen to me. I am not leaving this planet unless you get some rest, at least today."

" _Rest_ does not matter," said Vader with disgust, "I have work to do." he insisted, and started leaving the Temple.

It didn't want him in there anyway.

Luke grabbed him by the arm, stopping him from leaving. “I meant what I said. I am not leaving this planet unless you get some rest. The Emperor has been missing for over eight months now, he can wait a few more days. And then you can start thinking about rescue...if you still feel like it."

Vader frowned. _If he felt like it?_ He had no choice.

“I cannot–“ he protested.

“Lord Vader, you're exhausted. If you keep it up, it will only get worse. You must rest; doctor's orders.” said Luke.

“You are not a doctor.”

Luke looked at him straight in the eyes. “Your hands are shaking and I’ve noticed you haven't taken those pills you take since we landed. I don't have to be a doctor to see that you're not okay,” he explained, and then sighed, "Please."

Vader gave up and nodded. He was too exhausted to argue.

Luke smiled. “See? Come on, let’s go find a cave. Maybe _today_ you will get some sleep.” 

They left the Temple, and the Force followed them wherever they went. Vader was mentally exhausted, and Luke was trying to keep himself together.

He just witnessed the Emperor through the Force. His heart was still beating in his ears.

The Emperor did not feel human at all. If Luke was shaken, he couldn't even imagine the state Vader was in... How could this man insist on work if his brain wasn't working?

*******   
  


The presence of the Emperor still felt too raw on Vader's mind. After months of being in the company of Ben Starkiller in the Force, Vader had grown used to freedom and autonomy. The Commander didn’t intrude on his mind. And being in Sidious’ clutches again felt... _cold_.

Strangely cold.

They stopped at a clear, with Luke guiding the way, and Vader sat down on top of the container without the helmet on and took his pills. He had neglected them for days, and his lungs were paying the price.

“I think we’re lost.” admitted Luke, scratching his head through many layers of clothing.

Vader groaned and Luke handed him the holomap. Vader almost choked on water when he saw where they were. “I do not know how you lasted so long as a Commander in the Rebellion, said Vader bitterly, “we have been walking in the opposite direction for hours.”

Luke wasn't offended. "Well, you could have told me! I'm not good at this."

"I am medically incapacitated to do any type of work, Commander. Doctor's orders." said Vader, giving him the holomap back.

“Ha ha ha,” said Luke, grabbing it, “and for the record, I was a good Commander.”

“What battles did you lead?” asked Vader.

Luke looked at the sky, remembering. “Nothing important.”

Lie.

“And the death star?” asked Vader. The issue of the death star pilot didn't bother him, though he thought about it sometimes, but he had more important things to care of. 

Sidious, the insurrection, the civil war, and Empire Day was coming soon, and with it came remembering. He had more important things in his mind that some rebel pilot.

Luke knew that if Vader found out he destroyed the death star he would send him away. Hopefully he would take their acquantainceship into consideration and not execute him.

On the other hand, Vader knew that the Commander felt kidnapped and would go back to the Rebellion if they hadn't casted him out. In a constantly changing galaxy, they were the only semi-permanent thing to each other; even if neither of them knew about it.

Luke tensed. “No, I didn't lead that one.” he said. Technically, he wasn't lying. He wasn't in command, even if he was the most important person that day.

“The pilot that made the fatal shot must have felt accomplished," said Vader bitterly, "I had personal ships on that station.” 

The fact that that was what bothered Vader about the death star destruction relaxed Luke. He had nightmares about the people he killed that day, while Vader worried about the ships that got destroyed. It said a lot about their respective positions in the galaxy before they met. Back then he didn't even know if Vader was human, and now there they were: with Vader sitting on top of a container, wheezing and drinking water calmly, and Luke trying to find a way back to the ship.

If his friends saw him now, they wouldn't believe this was his life. Luke allowed his mind to wander, and he imagined that if Leia saw him now, she might slap him and then shoot Vader, and Han might applaud him. He smiled at the thought, and then saddened.

It stung his soul not knowing if they were still alive. Especially after he learnt that the insurrection had also infiltrated the Rebellion.

Vader sensed his nostalgia and spoke. “Nostalgia is useless. Clinging into the past is a mistake you cannot afford. Everyone disappoints you.” he said quietly.

Luke frowned. 

Well, that didn't help him at all. Luke thought it was ironic coming from a man that had ghosts following him. “Well. If your expectations are high, you will always be disappointed. But there’s no need to be _this_ pessimistic.”

Vader raised his eyebrows, offended. “I am being _realistic_ , Commander. Family, friendship, love, is an illusion,” he said, "Nothing in life is permanent, and you have to live with it."

Luke noticed that he was reciting a code. He didn't feel any sentiment behind those words. 

“Who told you this, Lord Vader?” he asked cautiously. 

Vader didn't know. Those ideas had been in his soul for so long that he didn't know who put them there in the first place. They were always there— the glue was permanently dry.

When Vader didn't answer and his eyes were fixed on the horizon, barely blinking, Luke spoke. “Well, whoever it was, I hope they live their life without all these ‘illusions’. Family and friends... how awfully _spooky_. How could we ever allow that, hm?” said Luke sarcastically.

Vader didn't answer, and Luke handed him the datapad back. “Please, dearest friend—if friendships are even legal in the Empire— guide us back to the ship, or we might freeze to death in the Outer Rim.”

Vader snorted, remembering that they had had this conversation before on Tatooine, when they were both injured after Jabba's palace. "In the Outer Rim, _of all places_..."

Luke smiled and rolled his eyes theatrically. " _Of all places_..."

Luke had given up on finding any similarities between the child Vader used to be and the man he was now, but sometimes when the man was distracted, Luke could see the same sparkle in his eyes. Perhaps that enthusiastic boy from thirty-five years ago was still somewhere in there, complaining about lightsabers. 

*** * ***

Rhen Var had shorter days, so they stopped at a cave when the sun was setting. This one was at ground level and slightly bigger than the previous, but they needed shelter. The snowfall was picking up speed, and even making a couple of steps took most of their energy.

Luke removed his boots to dry, and Vader started the campfire. There was a mutual silent agreement not to speak, but Luke couldn’t get the recent events out of his mind.

“That _thing_...was the Emperor?” asked Luke, “Is he always this...cold?” He couldn’t find any other words to describe how it felt. The pure cold that hit him through the Force was something he would never forget.

Vader was right: it was incredibly easy to find the Emperor through the Force. His presence was unmistakable. What surprised Luke, however, is how different the Emperor’s dark side presence was from Vader’s.

Vader was barely there, scratching the surface, while the Emperor almost swallowed them both with his connection to the dark side. The raw power electrified him, and made him feel like he was standing under acidic rain.

Vader sat down next to the campfire, leaning against the cave walls. He was slightly wheezing from the physical exercise of the day. “It was him. When I return I will send search parties immediately. These are the closest coordinates we have.” said Vader quietly, staring at the fire in front of him. The warmth was soothing, and if he wasn’t so stressed and affected by today’s brush with Sidious, he could get some sleep.

But it wouldn’t happen. He could never relax if Sidious was around, even if the man was on the other side of the galaxy. And not even distance had been an excuse for the man to find him. He always did.

Luke couldn’t stop worrying. Vader’s words had no feeling behind them. Luke expected the man to be at least excited, in his own serious way, to have found the Emperor. It's been eight months of searching. But instead, Vader was speaking monotonously and gazing at the ground.

Barely alive.

“You don’t have to find him, you know,” said Luke, gathering courage, “I’ve felt what he did to you today. Why would you want to save someone that hurt you?”

Vader frowned, but continued staring at the campfire nonetheless. He didn’t like having the routines of his thoughts questioned or dismantled. In the past, whenever he had any doubts about Sidious, he crushed them down. 

“He is my Master. I have no choice but to rescue him.” said Vader simply, reciting protocol. 

Luke frowned. Vader’s mind was clouded by whatever lies the Emperor must have fed him. 

“But you do have a choice. You really do. Only we know where he is, and I suspect neither you nor me like him very much, but you would never admit it,” said Luke, and then leaned over the campfire slightly, “Lord Vader, we can end this. No one likes the Emperor. We can restore the galaxy to a better place, leave him there. The insurrection is probably planning to kill him anyway, or else they wouldn’t have kidnapped him.”

It hit Luke how delicate his position was. Darth Vader was vulnerable, and even with his imposing personality he was allowing some cruel man to mold him into submission. Just how much had Vader endured in his lifetime, and why was he refusing to let go?

“If this is your rebel propaganda–“ said Vader.

“It isn’t. I just don’t understand why you feel like you have to rescue him if you don’t want to. You’re the current most powerful person in the galaxy, you can do whatever you want. If the Emperor came back...I don’t know what would happen to you.” said Luke. 

“He is my Master. I have no choice.” repeated Vader. 

Luke sighed in frustration. “A Master is like a teacher, right? Why do _you_ need a teacher?” he asked. Before meeting him, he expected that the relationship between the Emperor and the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet was strictly professional; that the Emperor gave orders and Vader followed.

But it wasn’t like that, apparently. Luke had a suspicion that the man held Vader on a leash. Vader seemed fiercely independent, so Luke could never imagine him following close orders.

Even if that man was the Emperor of the galaxy.

Vader wasn’t enjoying thinking about his life analytically. His ‘friendship’ with Sidious had always been questioned by the Jedi, by his wife, by Obi-Wan, and was now being questioned by a boy who knew nothing about his life.

“He teaches me the Force and guides me.” he replied automatically, voice devoid of emotion.

Okay, Luke was worried now. Whatever was going on between Vader and the Emperor was worse than he thought. Vader’s actions said different things than his words: the man clearly despised the Emperor, even if he didn’t know it and yet...He insisted that he wanted to save him. Why?

“With all due respect, Lord Vader, you don’t need any more teaching, and you don’t need to send search parties for him either,” said Luke patiently, “I’m just really sorry, that’s all.”

“Why are you apologizing?” asked Vader. 

“Because you think you’re caged, but you’re not. You’re free to do whatever you want. Some lost old man in the Unknown Regions can’t dictate your life for you. No one can. I’m saying I’m sorry because if you passed out from his presence alone, I can’t even imagine what happened when he was around.” said Luke.

_What will happen if he comes back?_

Vader heard Luke’s thought in the Force and looked at the ground. He felt like he had a weight on his chest that would never disappear. If the Emperor came back, Sidious would kill the Commander. He had sensed him now, and Vader could only pray that he would have mercy and wouldn’t send him to kill Ben Starkiller.

Vader couldn’t do that. 

“You are in danger, Commander. The Emperor has sensed your presence in the Force now.” he said, "He must be intrigued. He will find you."

He shouldn’t have brought the boy to Rhen Var, and he shouldn’t have invited him to the Empire. The boy was risking his life just by being on the same planet as him. Vader was sure if Rhen Var was inhabited, the locals would attack him and the Commander would suffer injuries too.

This had gone for too long.

It was all his fault. Anybody that stayed too long next to him suffered a tragedy: his wife, his child, his padawan, his former Master.

The list was endless.

He had to put an end to it, now.

Luke sighed. “Listen, I know you don't care about me, and that I'm easily replaceable with someone more skilled...but if we have to part ways because the Emperor comes back, promise me that you will not tolerate his cruelties, please.” Luke could leave knowing that at least one of his friends would be safe, even if it was difficult to feel safe around the Emperor. Luke had never physically met the man and yet he knew that he was dangerous.

Vader stared at him with a slight frown, his face exhausted. Somehow this planet made both of them speak nonsense.

How could the Commander even _think_ he was replaceable? He was easily the most competent, if not the most competent man in the Empire. People spent years in academies learning his skills.

If Ben Starkiller lived during the Jedi Order, Vader was sure that he would receive the same treatment as Skywalker had. The Jedi Masters feared power, but the boy's power was controlled.

The boy was powerful, but his power didn't come from the Force. 

No, not at all.

It was his selfless kindness and openness to learning, to keep going even if everybody had given up. It was how he smiled politely at officers who haven’t smiled in years. The boy was the last of a dying species, and its killer was coming for him.

Dammit.

“Commander, you are wrong.”

Luke looked up at him with sad eyes, hugging his knees closer to his chest for comfort. It was an action he did since he was a child and when he was lonely, imagining his arms were someone else’s. 

Vader took a deep breath, and gathered the courage to speak. It was so hard. He had grown used to having the boy around. There had been days when he had forgotten about Sidious’ existence. 

“If the Emperor comes back, you can go back to the Rebellion. I could send you with additional security if you wished. You could still be in contact with Admiral Piett or me. You can go anytime you want, you are not a prisoner.” said Vader. Letting go was hard: his own family and everyone he cared about died twenty years ago and he still hadn’t let go. 

Luke stared at the man in front of him, at the strange scar on his eye, at how his black leather gloves were making sounds because the fists were clenched. Vader was a tornado within himself, thinking that his presence hurt everybody, but he was only hurting himself.

Yes, Luke was well aware that Vader was feared for very good reasons. He had led genocides, killed hundreds of innocent people, was the current leader of an Empire Luke wanted to destroy, and yet…

Luke sighed. _And yet._

Why couldn’t Vader understand that he didn’t want to go? 

Ever since he realised that his parents weren't coming back, and that his uncle and aunt were dead; and his own friends in the Rebellion had casted him out, he longed for a friend, and he found it in the strangest man in the galaxy. Darth Vader was in pain, volatile, extremely dangerous, emotionally closed off from every sentient in the galaxy, stubborn and dramatic, and yet…

Behind all the cold and darkness, the apathy and indifference, was a very strange man that had eaten his own heart out and lived to please someone else that was hurting him. It was a never-ending chain of pain, and for what? 

“...I don’t want to go, Lord Vader. I’m learning a lot from you.” said Luke, looking at the fire, mesmerized.

“It is too dangerous for you to stay if he comes back,” said Vader simply, “I cannot have you risking your life for this. The Rebellion needs you.” he said, deliberately forgetting that they were still in the middle of a civil war. The Empire was crumbling already. If the Rebellion won the civil war, it would obliterate the Empire. 

He didn't really care anymore.

Luke wanted to scream. If the Rebellion needed him, they would have tried to contact him in his almost five months of absence. He hadn’t received a single transmission. The Rebellion didn’t need him.

The man in front of him did, and he was pushing him away. And for what? 

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“You must.”

“I won’t.”

“Commander.”

“Lord Vader.”

Vader sighed, so tired. Why didn’t the boy understand that they had no choice? If he stayed next to him, he would die. It happened to many people before, and it would happen again. He might not be the Chosen One to restore the balance in the Force, but life had certainly chosen him to make hard decisions that would end up impacting the entire galaxy.

“You must go.” repeated Vader, voice strained. He had his reasons, and Starkiller deserved to know why. He took a deep breath, and spoke without looking at him. “I...I had a student once. She left the Jedi Order, and I believe she is dead now.”

Luke’s eyebrows rose up. “I'm so sorr-“

Vader raised one hand, he wasn't done talking. He knew if he stopped now the words that he kept caged would never come out. “I failed her as she failed me. Years ago we met again, and we fought: she managed to escape but I doubt she survived.”

He missed Ahsoka even if she left and betrayed him. He realised sadly that everyone he missed fitted into that description. 

“What I’m trying to say is, staying near me is a death sentence, especially now that nobody can be trusted. If the Emperor comes back, I assure you he will have you killed. If he finds out I haven’t killed you yet, he will have me kill you. And I don’t want that, so go.”

There, his reasoning was simple.

Little did Vader know that when the Empire eventually found out about the death star attack, Luke would have a death sentence waiting for him anyway.

He was accustomed to danger. He was a rebel Force-sensitive that destroyed the death star, and befriended Darth Vader. Anyone would shoot him for any of the four reasons.

He wasn’t afraid.

“Then so be it.”

Vader frowned, of all the things he expected the boy to say, this was not it. “What?"

“I don’t care about danger anymore, Lord Vader. If you think I’m in danger, then I want you to teach me more about the Force. I want to learn. All the stupid jumps too, everything.” said Luke with a renewed sense of purpose he hadn’t felt in a long time. The Force felt right. “After all, if the Force wanted us to part ways we would have months ago. It hasn’t, don’t you think it’s weird?”

Vader thought it was strange, but he didn't want to think too much about what that meant. “Haven’t you heard what I said? I had a student once, a padawan, and I trained her. She is dead. Why would you want that to happen to you?”

“I am not _her_ , Lord Vader.” said Luke seriously. He realised that Vader lived too focused in the past. Most of his stress came from reliving past events. Even now, as safe as they could be in a cave, the man was stressed. The bags under his eyes were chronic, and Luke was sure that if Vader’s condition tired him faster than the usual, the man needed rest.

He wasn’t getting any. 

Vader knew that Ahsoka would have been an excellent Master to the Commander. They were both similar yet different in their own ways; but they shared the raw contained energy in their hearts. Ahsoka would be impulsive and use it whenever she felt it was right, but the boy...He hesitated.

Nobody had taught him about the Force. If he wanted to survive, he would have to learn. It is the least Vader could offer. 

“Are you certain of this?” he asked again. He didn’t like how calm the Force felt around them, especially in tense moments like these. Usually his nerves were out of the roof, but he calmed down in the company of the boy because the Commander didn’t expect anything from him. He didn’t bow at him, didn’t cling to him like an insect as most officers did. 

Ever since they first met, the boy made sure that Vader knew that he wasn’t afraid of him. Vader had lived twenty years with a near Emperor status, and it only took a strange Tatooine boy eight months to bring his feet back to the ground. 

Oh, Sidious would have to get through him personally if he wanted to harm the Commander. Vader knew his attachments were often misplaced, as both Sidious and the Jedi had told him many times before, but he didn’t care. Right now, right then, in the middle of an uninhabited snow planet, at night, exhausted— he really, _really_ didn’t care.

Luke spoke. “I think both of us need a second chance. The galaxy is changing whether you like it or not, you can’t stay the same and expect to survive. I’m in danger everyday just by being a rebel. I can handle being in your company, don't worry.”

 _Need_ ; not deserve. Vader knew he didn’t deserve kindness or any second chances. The fact that the boy was deliberately choosing him as a Master was a miracle. 

But there was nobody left, was there? He had taken care of that twenty years ago. Vader couldn’t help but wonder if this was his fate. The boy had stumbled into him by coincidence, and he was smart and Force-sensitive. It was the way of the Force that made them stick together, and it was the way of the Force that Vader would follow.

Everyone had failed and disappointed him, but the Force never had. The decision felt right in his own blood, as if he was always supposed to do this. “I accept your offer, but don’t even _think_ that you can kill the Emperor. You do not know what he is capable of.” warned Vader. 

Luke smiled, and the Force vibrated around him with excitement. “I wasn’t even thinking about it. I want that man as far away from me as possible,” he said, and then extended his hand, “So this is a deal, then?”

Vader once again marveled at the simplicity with which Ben Starkiller moved through life. Back in the Republic, getting a padawan was a longer process. It didn't take minutes of dialogue.

But those days were gone.

He extended his organic hand, still covered by a glove, and shook his hand. Luke spoke. “Also, I am not calling you Master, and I'm not your padawan either. Those names are in the past.”

Vader realised that the Commander didn't understand the importance of those titles to the Jedi, and Vader found himself not caring. 

Luke looked at the horizon, just as he had always done back home. He craved adventure somewhere far from Tatooine, and he found it in the strangest of places, with the strangest of people.

They sat in silence for the next few minutes. The swirl of the wind made some leaves fall to the ground, and the cackling of the campfire echoed in the small cave.

The galaxy was a lonely, scary place where everyone had to fend for themselves. Even people he thought weren’t human turned out to be extremely vulnerable individuals that overworked themselves to the point of physical sickness. Luke was scared, he knew that, but that didn’t stop him from continuing wanting to fight. 

Luke didn't remember when he fell asleep or how he got back to his tent, but when he woke up he saw that Vader had fallen asleep. He was sitting against the walls of the cave, his neck crooked in an uncomfortable position, and he didn't even bother to put up his own tent— but it didn't matter, he was asleep. 

The campfire had died out and was now light smoke, and Luke stared at it. He had burnt for so long, with such curiosity towards his parents and restoring the past, that he didn't realise it was all gone. He had to keep moving forward.

The smoke reached the top of the cave and flew outside, towards a new day, a new sun, and Luke stared at it and walked towards the entrance of the cave, watching the dark smoke mix itself with pure air. 


	18. Old Promises

“Fix your stance, _again_.”

Luke wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and shook his head to fix the hair that got messy by the wind. He fixed his leg to the left, and Vader groaned.

”No, to the right. Your shoulder is also tense.” said Vader, arms crossed.

Luke fixed it. He felt like he was at school and the teachers were screaming at him for not understanding lessons. 

“Again.”

Luke nodded, and extended his senses out into the Force, and Vader fired. Luke deflected the blast with Vader's lightsaber, and it flew into the forests below.  
  
Vader fired again and again, and Luke deflected them all back at Vader, who simply dodged as if leaves were flying towards him.

The hum of the lightsaber echoed in the mountains, and Luke was extra careful with it. He didn't want to acknowledge that Vader had trusted him with his lightsaber. The weapon in his hands felt wrong— he knew that Vader killed hundreds with it. 

“Can you deflect with one arm only?” asked Vader.

”I can try.”

Vader briefly remembered a Jedi Master's words, and shivered. 

It didn't matter.

The Jedi were dead.

So far they hadn't discussed what the Commander wanted him to teach, but he had a suspicion that the boy wouldn't want to hear about the dark side.

He had seen Sidious in his worst form through the Force. That was an awful advertisement for the dark side, but it was the truth. The Commander might be used to his dark side presence, but Sidious...

Sidious's presence had grown vicious during his kidnapping. If the death star still existed and Sidious was in control of it, he would blow up the entire galaxy.

“Hey, we're still doing this?” asked Luke.

Vader looked at him from behind the mask, and nodded. He fired again, and watched Luke deflect the blasts with one arm, even if it was sloppy.

”You will need to practice. Have you ever encountered an Inquisitor?” asked Vader. He needed to know how much practice in combat the Commander had.

Luke answered negatively. He heard stories about the Inquisitors, and remembered that they were under Vader's command. Abruptly, he realised the seriousness of the new arrangement.

Vader was a brutal man who had taught the Inquisitors, and they were terrifying. Darth Vader was not a name to be thrown around lightly; people hid or looked away when they heard it. The face he showed to the galaxy was much different than the one he showed him— and Luke needed to remember what Vader was capable of.

And now this man was teaching him the basics on top of a cliff. Luke felt like he was being mocked. ”Do you have any spare lightsabers?” he asked.

He prayed that Vader didn't remember their Vondarc confrontation. Luke had used his father's lightsaber in front of Vader, even if the man didn't see it in the darkness. If Vader knew he had a lightsaber, he wouldn't give him another.

”I do, but you will need to build your own. Lightsabers are not to be shared around like toys. They are not blasters.” said Vader.

Luke nodded. “Will we ever practice combat?”

“Are you up to it?” asked Vader darkly. His words were slow and careful, much different than the man he spoke to in the cave. 

Luke laughed, nervous. “Not now, or in the following months either.” He wasn't stupid, he knew if they fought now that he wouldn't last a second against _The Darth Vader_. And he wasn't sure that he ever wanted to see Vader attacking him, even if it was for training purposes only.

Vader sensed his anxiety. ”I would not harm you.” he said. Had the boy lived in the Jedi Order, he would be used to lightsaber combat practice, but he wasn't. ”Either way you would lose. Your grip is weak, your feet are pointing towards opposite directions and your posture tells that you are hiding. You must face the opponent.”

Luke frowned. “What opponent?!”

”Future opponents. You cannot win if your posture says that you don't believe you can.”

Luke scratched his head. “It's not always about winning, Lord Vader. It's about staying alive for long enough to escape.” he said, fixing his posture to look slightly intimidating, “Like this?”

Vader walked towards him and pushed his shoulders back, and raised Luke's arms so the lightsaber protected his head.

Luke nodded. He understood this was practice, but he was also interested in theory. He knew very little about the Jedi, and his lifelong dream of meeting one— even if it was in the form of a fallen Jedi— was finally real.

“So, uh. How was the Jedi Order like? From the inside, I mean. I've heard stories but never from a Jedi.” said Luke, hesitating.

Vader became incredibly still. “I am not a Jedi, Commander.” he said. 

“Sorry, you used to be,” said Luke, “Is it alright to talk about this? I have other questions if you don't want to–“

”The Jedi Order stood by their morality, their Code, and their decisions were the final word. They continued teaching Force-sensitives in the same way for over thousands of years. I am not surprised they failed.”

”At what did they fail?” asked Luke. 

Vader didn't know what to say. His words died on his tongue as he remembered how deep he had buried that past life, and now he was rubbing old wounds. Luckily enough, the wind was picking up speed and his words would fly away fast, and remain forever forgotten on an uninhabited planet.

But how could he explain why he thought the Jedi Order failed when in reality all they did was personally fail _him_? 

They failed to make him feel safe. As a creature of attachments and physical affection, the Jedi Order hadn't given to him the basic needs a child had. 

“They were strict. Their Code forbade attachments; they raised children as their padawans and were supposed not to form any bonds." he explained.

Luke realised something. “So...does this mean they couldn't get into relationships? Start a family?”

Vader saddened, and Luke felt it. At the top of a mountain, after a few exhausting days, Vader stopped caring about shielding too much. His shields were always up, but if Luke was paying attention he could feel all the emotions.

Darth Vader was pissed. The angry fire was decades old, and it had burnt his heart down to ashes. Even then, Luke felt a sparkle of love inside.

Luke asked the question to know about his parents, but he didn't expect this reaction from Vader. 

“It was forbidden to form attachments of any kind.” Vader managed to say.  
  
Luke nodded. “But Jedi had kids anyway, right?” He knew he was being obvious that he was clearly asking about his father.

Vader knew that too. “Yes, here you stand. Some Jedi had children but attachments led to the dark side.” he quoted.

Luke made a face. Vader just gave himself away: the man was on the dark side, barely there, so he must have fallen because of an attachment.

Huh.

Darth Vader was a man of many layers, and Luke knew he only scratched the surface. He shivered in cold, and realised how unfair it was that Vader had a helmet with heat regulations and he was bare faced.

”Can the dark side please get us out of here? I'm freezing.” said Luke.

Vader wanted to scold him for talking about the dark side in such manners, but couldn't because Luke was already out of sight, walking down the cliff with his lightsaber.

Yes, Vader was right, the Jedi Order wouldn't have liked the Commander's behaviour.

*** * ***

After a pause for lunch, because Luke insisted, they continued their walk back towards the ship. Vader was the guide, and Luke pushed the container. He asked questions about Jedi History, some names he heard from stories, different types of lightsabers, how the Temples used to be.

He knew he was talking to the man that murdered Jedi for over decades, but he had the answers that Luke needed.

He wanted to ask about Anakin Skywalker, but he didn't trust his heart not to beat out of his chest. With Vader this close, and their bond fortified in the planet, the man could sense that his intentions weren't out of curiosity, but out of a deep need to know.

“You fought in the clone wars?”

“I did.”

“What rank were you in?” asked Luke. Please be Commander or General, please be Commander or General–

Vader clenched his jaw, and wondered if he wanted to answer that question. “High rank.”

That didn't clear his doubts. “Did you talk to any Generals?” asked Luke, very slowly raising his shields so Vader wouldn't notice.

Vader was too distracted trying not to scream his frustrations into the Force. “It was impossible not to. It was a war."

Luke took a deep breath, and checked that his shields were in place.  “Did you hear of anyone called the Chosen One? People in the Rebellion still talk about this myth.”

It was the closest he could get to talk about his father without mentioning his name. If Vader fought in the clone wars, he had to have known his father. Both of them had been Jedi, after all.

His heart was beating too fast for the little exercise he was doing. Luke saw Vader stopping for a moment, and then continuing to walk. His emotions were too clouded to decypher.

“No, and the Rebellion has more pressing problems than remembering _a myth_.” said Vader with disgust. On the growing list of things he didn't want to discuss, Anakin Skywalker was below Kenobi and Sidious. He was at the end of the list, his name half sticking out of the paper.

“That’s strange. People are convinced he was real... what if it was Kenobi?” asked Luke.

Vader stopped on his tracks. He had enough. He turned around and pointed a finger at Luke. “Kenobi was _not_ the Chosen One.” he said harshly.

“So you knew who it was?"

Vader clenched his jaw harder. “Yes. Hard not to know about the prophecy.” he spat.

“What happened?” asked Luke. The question that hadn't left his head since he was a child.  Luke looked at the snow beneath his feet, and felt like it was swallowing him down into the planet.

Vader noticed the strange reaction. “Why are you so interested in him? He was foolish. The prophecy was not real.”

He didn't balance the Force, he did the complete opposite. There used to be thousands of Jedi, and now they were limited to a short list. The number of Sith remained the same, but he hadn't created any balance in the Force.

Luke was trying to process that Vader might have known his father. “Did you know him?” he asked cautiously.

Vader wished he didn't.  “No.”

Luke rolled his eyes, thankful that Vader seemed distracted. “You are not making any sense. How can you say he was foolish if you didn't know him?” asked Luke impatiently. Did Vader have a row with Anakin Skywalker and that's why he refused to speak about him? Did they hate each other?

If something happened between them two, Luke didn't want Vader to know he was Anakin's son. Perhaps the man would extend the issues with his father towards him too.

No.

Luke definitely didn't want Vader as an enemy.

Vader sighed, and continued walking. He didn't want to think about Anakin Skywalker now, or never. The name only brought him pain.  “This conversation is over.”

A single snowflake fell into Luke's hair, and he noticed the snowfall was starting again. He felt oddly connected to the weather, and wondered if the snowfall from the last couple days was caused by his own turbulent emotions.

Luke wouldn't give up on his father just yet. After all their problems were over, Vader still had a promise to keep: he would find out what happened to Anakin Skywalker, and if Luke pressed, with Vader's resources, they could also find out what happened to his mother.

Luke didn't say anything, and clung onto the idea of a future where he could perhaps visit the places his parents had. Vader walked grumpily in front of him, leaving big footsteps on the snow, and Luke followed him absentmindedly, ignoring how the Force was screaming inside his head that he was missing something important.  
  


*** * ***   
  


“You have to make the jump, Commander.”

”We've been walking all day! How are _you_ not tired?” asked Luke.

Vader was always tired, but that wasn't an excuse. “You have to make the jump unless you want to freeze in the night. Your choice.” he said. 

Luke groaned and looked up. Since they were walking back to the ship, they made stops in the same places. Now it was the turn of the first cave that Luke still had bruises from.

He needed to use the Force to jump, _again_. 

He sighed, and took a deep breath. With a small stretch that did nothing to his muscles, he jumped, and awkwardly landed at the entrance of the cave, half of his body sticking out.

Vader stood below, silently impressed. A skill like this took years to develop, and it took the Commander two days. “You must practice more.” he said.

Luke stood up and levitated the container into the cave. Objects were easier to move through the Force, even if now his hands were shaking from exhaustion. He never thought he would say this, but he missed being on the Executor.

Vader walked in a couple of seconds later, and they started camp without speaking. They didn't need to; with the Force echoing their intentions and emotions, they were already communicating.

They had dinner, again upon Luke's insistence. Vader spent the entire dinner in silence, looking at the holomap on his datapad with a face that revealed nothing. 

Luke made his own tent, and with a curt nod went inside. He didn't know if Vader slept at all, because the man was always awake first, but he didn't have the energy to deal with that right now. 

Before falling asleep, he set an alarm for three hours from then on his watch, hoping that Vader wouldn't hear it. If he didn't hear it, and would— _hopefully_ — be asleep, Luke could leave.

Three hours later, Luke got dressed, grabbed a flashlight and Vader's holomap. The man had fallen asleep leaning against the cave walls, again, in a sitting position in front of the campfire. Luke left the cave, walking deep into the night with only the Force guiding him.

*** * ***   
  


Seven hours later, Vader woke up and saw the Commander quietly looking at the datapad. He looked exhausted, and his hands were slightly trembling. Vader didn't ask, he knew the effect of nightmares very well.

They left the cave and continued walking; according to Vader's calculations, they would reach the ship in a matter of hours. They walked through the woods in silence, occasionally stopping but not saying anything important. 

They passed next to Darth Mekhis' fortress, and Vader felt drawn to the dark side, and stopped on his tracks. Luke noticed, and slowly pushed Vader with the floating container so he would keep going. He didn't get any sleep last night, and arrived only minutes before Vader woke up. 

When they finally saw the ship, a small figure in the horizon, Luke felt the Force pulling him back, as if Rhen Var did not want him to leave. “Do you feel it?”

”What exactly?” asked Vader. He felt everything through the Force, he just had learnt to mute it. 

Luke turned back and looked at the horizon. He saw the same shadow from his first vision, when the vulptex called to him: tall, in long brown robes, warm.

His father.

The shadow stood in the horizon quietly, and Luke couldn't make out its emotions. He felt a hand pressing on his shoulder, and turned around abruptly.

Vader looked at him, confused. “We must leave now.”

Luke nodded and continued walking, only to notice that the shadow of his father had vanished.

The ship was still in one piece and covered in snow. Luke walked in happily, unconsciously associating the ship with home, as strange as that sounded. 

Vader went to the cockpit to start the engines and check on the status of the ship. Moments later, warmth air filled the air vents, and Luke ripped out of his outer layers, finally being able to move as freely as he wanted. He placed the container somewhere out of the way and sat on the co-pilot seat, enjoying the warmth and cushioned seats.

Vader came back without his helmet, and continued checking the status of the ship before leaving. 

Luke realised something, and walked back towards where he left his winter coats. Vader didn't notice, too busy thinking about the amount of snow the sensors were picking up on the surface. He would have to get the snow removed, but he had never stayed on a snow planet for so long before, perhaps with the Force he could–

"Open your hand and close your eyes." said Luke.

Vader blinked, getting interrupted out his thoughts. The Commander sat next to him, arms behind the back. His emotions were unreadable.

"Why?"

"Please."

Vader sensed no danger in the statement, and did what he was told. His sensors didn't pick any weight on his hand, so he opened his eyes.

"I promised you this." said Luke.

Vader stared at the small object on his palm. "I do not need a kyber crystal."

A small white kyber crystal laid on his black glove, and Luke looked at him in the eyes, hoping that perhaps Vader would remember.

"You don't need one now, but... When you were twelve you said you wanted to run away and build your own lightsaber here, on Rhen Var. I promised you that I would bring you a crystal," explained Luke sheepishly, "I know I'm thirty years late, but...a promise is a promise.”

Vader breathed a few times, in and out, mind blank, with images that were slowly coming back to him. It was thirty-five years ago, he barely remembered the Jedi Temple as it used to be, and yet... His mind drifted towards some vague ghost he saw once. He didn't remember any distinguishable physical characteristics, and yet...

Luke looked at him, awkwardness creeping up his spine. “I mean, if you don't want it it's okay... You could use a spare lightsab–“

Vader pulled him into a hug. 

Luke froze and his heart accelerated at the abrupt change, and then slowed down when he realised it was just Vader. He relaxed into the hug slowly, glad to have some kind of human contact. It's been months since he was living in a cold imperial ship where everyone avoided each other, and coming from a hot planet and an affectionate aunt, he realised he missed it.

Vader, on the other hand, was suppressing shivers from how strange it felt to be held, even if it was at a distance and barely there. 

It's been so long.

"I remember. I didn't know it was you." 

Luke smiled quietly. "Well, up until yesterday I didn't know it was me either." he laughed.

Vader snorted without a sound, and let the boy go. He examined the crystal carefully, more to avoid looking at the Commander after his impulsive decision to hug.

The kyber crystal was white and had lots of spikes, and was sharp at touch. He noticed the Commander had removed his gloves, and that he was pressing his fingers on the inside of his palm.

He took Luke's hand slowly and turned it around to look. There were bleeding scratches all over the palm, some deeper than others, and Vader looked at him with disappointment, as well as mild concern. 

It was a promise he made to his twelve year old self, a promise that did not matter. He threatened Obi-Wan that he would run away and build his own lightsaber almost twice a week when he was that age.

People had broken much bigger promises in his life, but the Commander, a man he met not even a year ago, had hurt himself in the process of getting him something as insignificant as a kyber crystal— just because he had promised him that he would.

Thirty-five years ago.

Vader didn't understand.

Luke saw the confusion in Vader's eyes, and spoke. "I know it was just a promise, but you were so determined to get a crystal and build a new lightsaber that I feel like I'm disappointing the old you, I mean, the young you, by not giving you one." 

Vader continued inspecting the injuries. "Your hand looks like it was attacked by several Loth-cats.”

Luke laughed. "Yeah, it's nothing." he said, looking around awkwardly. The glass cockpit was covered in thick snow, and only the artificial lights illuminated the area.

He felt like he was six all over again, and got his knees bruised from playing in the sand, and Uncle Owen was scolding him for the injuries.

”Don't you have pockets?” asked Vader, still staring at the deep scratches.

“It's not from carrying them. They were impossible to get out of the rock. The gloves were too thick and I couldn't move my hands much so I had to take them off,” said Luke, "Back in the Temple, you said these crystals were special, maybe that's why they were so hard to get."

Vader blinked. The boy was talking in plural, yet there was only crystal. “Where is the other one?”

Luke extended his free hand and another crystal flew towards him, scratching his other palm and drawing blood. He opened his palm, and Vader saw a light green crystal.

“When did you get these?” asked Vader, confused. He hadn't let the Commander out of his sight.

”Tonight,” summarised Luke, knowing that if he started explaining the story would never end. ”Why didn't you know there were crystals here?” 

The Commander had left at night. It was a stupid decision, and yet Vader remembered that on the first night he wanted to leave at night too. "It was a long time ago, but you have found the cave. Where is it?” asked Vader.

Luke looked at him with a serious face, not wanting to reveal the location. He had heard that the Empire had control over Ilum. If any Force-sensitives wanted to build a lightsaber they would have to fight stormtroopers. Finding this unguarded cave was a one in a million opportunity.

The silence was already an answer. “You will not tell me. Why?” asked Vader.

”The Empire will extract them. It's one of the last remaining kyber crystals caves in the galaxy that is unguarded. I will not give the location up.”

Vader admired his courage. Anyone else would have given the location immediately if he asked. The boy claimed not to be a Jedi, but his words sounded very Jedi to him.

”Very well.” he said. The location wasn't important to him at that moment. He knew there was a cave on Rhen Var, if they needed more crystals, he would come here.

“How did you find the crystal?” asked Vader. It was his duty as a _not-Master_ to guide his _not-padawan_ through the process, and he had missed it.

Great start.

“The cave was very dark, and this one crystal on the wall shone a lot. I felt like it was calling me, but it was so high,” explained Luke, and then smiled, “I actually had to jump with the Force to get it. Can you believe?”

Vader shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe the Commander went out at night, on his own, to fulfill a promise he made to someone that wouldn't remember it. 

Luke stared at the green crystal, and still felt a pull towards it. If something happened to his father's lightsaber, he supposed he could ask Vader for the crystal and build a lightsaber.

The man said he didn't need it.

The container suddenly opened and a box landed next to Vader. It opened on command, and before Luke could realise, his hands were being cleaned and properly bandaged. 

Vader had removed one glove and disinfected his organic hand, and Luke realised it was the first time he saw Vader without the gloves. 

Strange. 

Luke had survived for longer with much worse injuries. "It's just a couple of scratches, it's nothing. Leave it."

"Deep scratches can get infected," said Vader, cleaning the deeper wounds and using the Force to open the gauze packages that floated around him, "I think you want to keep your hands."

Luke admired the precision and speed with which Vader bandaged his palm. It reminded him of older rebels that had more military experience than him— they knew how to deal with injuries and had tricks not even the doctors knew about.

Vader continued cleaning the wounds quietly, and Luke shut his eyes every now and then when the liquid itched. 

"Just so you know, Commander, I threatened Kenobi with building a new lightsaber almost every day, and I knew that a ghost would not give me a crystal. You seemed... _kind_ , and I trusted you." confessed Vader, finishing with the bandages.

Luke smiled quietly. "To me it happened not even a day ago, but to you it's been decades... This is so weird. How did you even remember?”

"I remember kindness very well." said Vader. Back then, in a world where he felt like everybody hated him, he remembered the very few people that didn't look at him like he was an insect.

Luke would have never guessed that Darth Vader would say those words out loud, but even after all these months Vader continued surprising him. The man knew more than he spoke of, and Luke knew he would have the answers about his father's death soon enough.

When his hands were properly bandaged and clean, with only his fingers sticking out, Vader picked up the crystals with his gloved hand and left. He did a last check-up before take off, and they left Rhen Var without looking back, and Luke noticed that Vader had stored the crystals in a safe box. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vader keeping the crystal in a safe box is the equivalent of parents hanging their children's drawings in the fridge. Little does he know, that's exactly what he's doing, in his own strange way. I posted a rant about the chapters and some memes [here.](https://adelcrait.tumblr.com/post/630430118057230336/lost-and-found-chapter-161718-and-19-are-up)


	19. Ghosts and Mirrors

**“Go then if you must, but remember, no matter how foolish your deeds, those who love you will love you still."**

The Executor stood silent in the middle of nowhere waiting for orders. They were always in movement, changing trajectory every day depending on Lord Vader's orders and where the ship was needed. Fighting the Rebellion was the crew's top priority, but they were too quiet lately.

There were no attacks, no rescues— and the crew was bored. There was other work to do around the flagship, but everyone was waiting for the alarm to go off that would signal they were being attacked.

It never came.

Admirals and officers had ran through the paperwork twice because they had nothing to do, and Darth Vader wasn't around to order them. 

Deep in the flagship, in some hidden quarters with additional security, metal containers were levitating in the air, and two men were looking at each other. 

“A child could do this,” said Luke, and without looking, made the shipping containers float around in circles at high speed. He raised an eyebrow, asking for more instructions. He expected real training: not a test of his abilities. Vader had already seen him stop blasts with the Force, what else was there to do?

“You are distracted, focus.”

Luke laughed. “On what?” 

With a flick of the wrist, Vader made the containers fall down with a loud noise. Luke winced and jumped back.

“Your mind is elsewhere. You won't always have a quiet room and no distractions,” said Vader, and told Luke to make them levitate again. Luke raised a hand in that direction and the objects floated again, and then he felt something.

His senses were telling him to move.

Luke avoided a container being thrown at him, and heard it crashing against the wall on the other side of the room. Luke turned to look at Vader. “What was that for–?!”

He couldn't finish the sentence because another container was thrown at him, and he crouched to avoid being hit. It flew towards Vader, who caught it with the Force before it reached him.

Vader crossed his arms, bored. 

Luke wanted to scream. “What was that for?!” he repeated.

Vader tilted his head towards the right. The containers Luke was supposed to keep floating were on the floor. 

Luke sighed. “What if it hit me?”

Vader wouldn't let it get to that. “If this was a real battle, you would have died. You must keep your senses open to _all_ triggers.” explained Vader, moving the shipping containers back to their place. 

Luke crossed his arms, mimicking Vader, and watched the room go back to how it was before. “Will we ever practice lightsaber combat? I know the Force stuff, but I've never really fought anyone using a lightsaber.”

Vader considered the option. He didn't want Starkiller to focus on lightsabers too much, because there were hardly any people in the galaxy that would attack him with a lightsaber. He knew there were Siths out there, but the possibility that the boy ran into one was low. Vader would be there if that ever happened. 

“Do you have any wish to build your own lightsaber?” asked Vader. Luke's eyes lit up, and he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Vader continued. “You found crystals. It would be a shame to let them go to waste.” 

Luke nodded eagerly, in disbelief. He still had his father's lightsaber, but he didn't know how old that thing was. Luke felt that he was betraying his father by building a new lightsaber but it _was_ a new lightsaber, and he could keep his father's lightsaber for emergency purposes.

“Do you know how to construct one?” asked Vader.

Luke shook his head. 

“Very well,” said Vader, heading towards the door. “Meet me in my hangar in two hours and we will begin.”

“Where are _you_ going?” asked Luke, confused.

“Meeting with the Brentaal IV governor.”

Luke made a face. “That guy? Is it today?”

“Indeed.”

“Good luck then.” said Luke, smirking slightly. He knew Vader found the governor annoying. Vader noticed the humour, shook his head in disapproval and left. 

*** * ***

Luke needed to find Piett. It was the man's day off and Luke didn't want to disturb him, but he wanted to talk to him. Piett still needed to hear the story of what happened in Rhen Var, and why Luke's hands were bandaged.

He walked across and empty ship until he reached a clear area where several corridors joined into one, and he stopped on his feet. A squad of stormtroopers walked in front of him, and paused to salute him. 

They were holding a prisoner.

Luke was speechless as Han Solo looked up. He didn't have a scratch on him, but he looked grim, as if he had lived ten lives since the last time they saw each other. Han stared at him with owl eyes, looking at Luke's badge and imperial uniform. 

“Commander Starkiller, sir.” said a stormtrooper. 

“What are you doing?” asked Luke. His first instinct was to let Han go. They should never see each other on opposite sides. If they got captured by the Empire, they did that together too. This was _wrong._

“This rebel got captured flying past the flagship, sir. He is scheduled for interrogation today.” explained the stormtrooper, pushing Han to stand in front of Luke.

Han glanced at Luke, confusion in his eyes. The last time they spoke Luke had mind-wiped him; to Han, they had parted ways on Vondarc almost six months ago because Luke had ‘something else’ to do. Now he was wearing imperial clothes, had an imperial badge, and stormtroopers answered to him.

“Which cell are you taking him to?” asked Luke.

“The B-3 block, sir.” 

Luke nodded, feeling anxious and looking around. “I'll come with you. Who's in charge of interrogation?”

“No one has been assigned yet.”

“Then I'll do it.” said Luke, gesturing for them to follow him. He walked in front of the group, occasionally turning around to look at Han, who had finally agreed to walk. He felt eyes on his back, and the Force was an earthquake of unanswered questions and fear. They reached the prison block, and Luke ordered the troopers to leave. He skipped the formal registration, found an empty cell and gestured Han to walk in.

The doors closed, and Han took a step back. “Commander Starkiller? Care to explain what's going on?” he exclaimed, sitting down. 

Luke sighed and closed his eyes. He had a hundred things to explain, and yet he didn't know where to begin. “Why are you captured?”

“Answer my question.”

Luke had never seen Han so hostile. “Fine, I'm part of an investigation here...have been for the last months.” 

Han frowned, and Luke saw the realisation in his eyes. “You work for the Empire.”

Luke clenched his jaw. “No. They're investigating a threat and I'm helping, but I'm not _working_ for them.”

He didn't know if he could tell Han about what he was doing. 

Han looked at him as if Luke was disappearing. “Kid, we’ve been looking everywhere for you and you’ve been... _here_? As an imp?”

“You have been looking for me?” asked Luke, confused. He knew what the Rebellion was doing, but it didn't occur to him that the Rebellion had no clue about his location. After what happened, he didn't expect them to wonder where he was.

“Yes! You said you'd come back after finishing some job, and now you're an imperial?!” exclaimed Han, exhaling deeply and looking anywhere but Luke.

“Han, I know this looks bad...but I'm just doing research, that's all. Do you really think I forgot about you? Just because the Reb– the _Alliance_ doesn't want me around doesn't mean I’m giving up on the cause!” said Luke, noticing his slip. 

Han looked at him, upset. “The Alliance doesn't want you?! We've been trying to contact you for _months,_ Luke! But you vanished into thin air!”

Luke stopped. He hadn't heard his real name in what felt like years. He still remembered when the Alliance casted him out, and his heart grew cold. “They want me back?”

Han blinked. “I don't know, but some serious stuff has been going on since you left.”

Luke's heart skipped a beat. “Why are you here, Han?” he asked. There was a certain coldness in his voice, a fresh maturity that wasn't there the last time Han saw him. He supposed the Empire did that to people, but there was something else too.

“How do I know I can trust you?” asked Han, pointing at Luke's badge with his head. 

“Han, it's _me._ If I can help _you_ or the Alliance in any way, I will.” 

Han bit his cheek and sighed. He was glad that he was talking to Luke, now turned imperial, but still Luke. “A lot has happened since you left,” he began, “New people joined, and we took them in, but then...they were weird, that's all I'm saying. I didn't trust them, but who'd listen to me anyway? Then more people came, to the point that you walked down a base and didn't recognise anybody. I thought it was weird, I told Leia, she agreed, but we couldn't just kick them all out, right? Some of them asked about you, but lucky you we had no idea where you were! Then these people started disobeying direct commands: stole ships, weapons, and some never came back.”

Luke nodded, crossing his arms and listening attentively. He suspected this already, since he knew that both the Empire and the Rebellion had infiltrated people. 

Han continued. “It got to a point that we didn't know who was in control anymore. So they send me to...uh ‘discreetly’ check if a secret base was still there so we could relocate. By _we_ I mean High Command and maybe like...five or ten people.”

This was worse than Luke thought. “Only ten?” 

Han rolled his eyes. “More or less! I don't know who’s who anymore.” he said, also looking at him. 

“And on the way there you got captured, and now you're here.”

Han snorted. “Yes, Commander Obvious. Now, can you get me out of here?”

He could get Han out easily, he had access to high codes and no one would even know Han was there, but...Han had _information_ on what was going inside the Rebellion. This information was priceless to him and their investigation. Piett might smile for the first time in weeks.

No. 

He couldn't keep Han as a prisoner. Being near his friend reminded him of his devotion to the rebel cause, and yet his mind was in securing the galaxy's safety first. If he had to be Ben Starkiller to do that, he would be. 

Before he could open his mouth to speak, something in the Force called to him. It felt like a brief wind inside his mind, and Luke looked around the cell. He closed his eyes, trying to find what was catching his attention, and then found it. 

“Han, whatever happens now: just be calm, okay? Also, I go by Ben Starkiller here, because of the whole death star bounty on Luke Skywalker, so call me Ben or Commander, deal?” he said fast.

Han frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?!” 

Luke was growing anxious each second that passed. “Han, you have to promise not to say my name or anything about the death star. It's important, and you will be fine, but _please._ ”

Han shrugged hysterically. “Fine! Fine! What's going on?” he exclaimed, getting nervous too. 

Luke exhaled, even if his eyes were still darting all over the cell. “You _must_ stay calm. As long as I'm here, you _will_ be safe.”

“What?!” exclaimed Han. He saw that Luke's eyes stopped darting all over the room, and that his shoulders dropped. 

Luke rubbed his eyes. “I'm really sorry for...” he whispered.

The cell door opened, and Darth Vader stood outside the door, arms crossed. He entered the cell, and Han almost blended with the wall behind him. He sat as far away as possible from Vader. The monster looked around the cell, and Han saw that his helmet stopped on Luke. 

Luke shut his eyes in embarrassment. “...him.”

“You are late.” announced Darth Vader. Han wanted to breathe but he was afraid of looking too alive. 

Luke opened his eyes and glared —glared!— at Darth Vader. He looked annoyed. _I'm in the middle of something._ he said through the Force. _Weren't you supposed to be at that meeting?_

The lightsabers could wait. Luke knew Vader liked his technologies and adored working in his hangar, but that wasn't an excuse to interrupt.

Han watched the exchange through twitching eyes. Vader looked at him, and then back at Luke.

_Called off at the last minute._

_What a shame._ said Luke sarcastically, rubbing his eyes.

 _Indeed._ answered Vader in the same tone. 

“What are you doing here that is so important, Commander?” asked Vader. His voice was as threatening as Han imagined it. 

Luke nodded at Han, as a way to say that everything was alright, even if Han wanted to evaporate at that moment. 

“He has information about the insurrection's activity inside the Rebellion. It's worse than we thought,” whispered Luke at Vader, and then switched to talk through the Force. _You've met this man before. He's a Captain inside the Rebellion. Vondarc, remember? The cage? Pirates?_

Vader remembered. This man was an incompetent. He turned to talk to him, and Han crawled even further away. “Have you had any strange occurrences in the Rebellion?” asked Vader.

Han blinked a few times, his eyes darting all over the place. “Y–yes. I've told the Commander everything.”

“Answer my question.” ordered Vader.

Han looked at Luke for help, and he intervened. “New recruits and missing equipment, just as we predicted.” whispered Luke at Vader. _I'll tell you later. Don't do this here, please. He’s terrified._

Han looked between his friend and the galaxy's worst monster. Luke's shoulders were still tense, but since the man stepped in he had actually relaxed. Just how bad was it? Last time he heard about Darth Vader, the man brought Luke unconscious to their Hoth base and left. 

And now Luke was talking to him in whispers, showing emotion and nodding at nothing. In the following minutes, Darth Vader and Luke just stared at each other and Luke frowned here and there. It was as if they were talking, even if neither of them said a word out loud.

Luke eventually addressed Han, and Vader crossed his arms again and turned away from him. Han suspected it was because Luke ordered him to do so, and since when did Luke Skywalker order Darth Vader around?

Han wanted to bury his head in snow for a few hours. 

Luke sat next to him on the prison bench, and Han instinctively sat further from him. Luke noticed, and exhaled. “I have a couple more questions for you, do you think you could stay for a few more hours?” he asked calmly.

Han nodded, feeling like he didn’t have any choice any way. Darth Vader was in the same cell as him, and Luke wasn't scared. 

Luke smiled. “Thanks. Oh, have you eaten? Are you hungry?”

The fact that Luke could even think about meals when Darth Vader was in the same cell as them was unbelievable. “Um...a bit, yeah.” mumbled Han, looking at Vader, thinking that the man might kill him at any moment.

Luke stood up and peeked out of the cell. There was a new officer on patrol. “Sorry! Officer, could you bring us a meal for the prisoner, please?” he shouted. It was a long corridor and it would be better if he walked to the officer, but he wouldn’t leave Han alone with Vader. He knew that Vader wouldn't do anything to him, but he didn't want Han to have a heart attack. 

Han watched Luke as if he had lost his mind, and saw that Vader had turned his helmet to look at Luke. They seemed to know each other, and Han didn’t know much about Darth Vader other than the scary stories, but the man didn’t look friendly— and Luke was friends with everyone, but this was taking it to an extreme.

The officer shouted back. “Under whose authority?”

“Uh, Lord Vader's?” shouted Luke.

“Keep dreaming kid!” shouted the officer, going back to his work. 

Before Luke could answer, Vader walked out of the cell and made himself visible. The officer stumbled and almost fell to the floor. “Lord Vader, sir. It will be done.”

Luke smiled. He could get used to this. Vader walked back in, leaning against a wall and crossing his arms, lost in thought. He was already planning the next missions depending on the information they would get now. 

Luke walked back in, sitting next to Han. “So, uh. How's Chewie?”

Han laughed hysterically, examining the situation. He had a thousand questions to ask Luke, and he wouldn't leave the ship until they were all answered. First: since when could he use Vader’s name to get things he wanted? And second: why did Vader allow him to do so?

*** * ***

Once the meal arrived, Vader paid no attention to the officer and waited until the cell door closed. Luke sat on the prison bench, watching Han eat.

Han chewed slowly, looking between Luke and Darth Vader. It felt like two pieces of a puzzle that weren't supposed to fit, and yet somehow did. They were a picture ripped apart in two and then glued back together. Han didn't know how Luke ended up working for Vader _again,_ but he didn't like that they seemed so comfortable in each other's company.

Did Vader know Luke destroyed the death star? Luke told him to use Starkiller-something as his name, so probably not. Did Vader know that Luke was a rebel? Did Luke know about Darth Vader? Of course he did. Then why was he–

“Han, could you be quiet for a few minutes please?” asked Luke politely, not removing his eyes from Vader. His attention was fully on the man, who was standing on the other side of the cell.

“I'm not talking.” protested Han with his mouth full of food.

Luke made a face. “You know what I mean.” Han's thoughts were very loud and distracting— and Luke needed to talk to Vader. Their conversation had turned sour quickly, and Han's thoughts weren't helping.

“Yeah, of course.” nodded Han, not knowing what Luke meant. 

Luke looked back at Vader, and their eyes met again. Darth Vader's emotionless helmet did nothing to conceal the man's eagerness to fly into a rebel base and interrogate everyone.

_They can't know that we know. Besides, do you trust your pilots? Most of them could be with the insurrection by now, and you want to send them to the epicenter of it?_

Vader crossed his arms again and looked at the door. _Interrogating the Captain is useless._

_Then let me take care of it._

_Give me the locations of all the rebel bases._

Luke snorted out loud, and Han looked at him. Being in the Empire must be lonely.

_No, and for all I know, they could have relocated._

_The Captain knows the locations._

_He doesn't. High Command wouldn’t trust him with the complete list._

_Is he that incompetent?_ asked Vader, turning to look at Han who was trying to put a whole steak into his mouth. Vader frowned with disgust, and turned back to look at the wall.

_No. They sent him to investigate a new base before he got captured today._

“Where's the base?” asked Vader out loud. 

To Han, everyone was silent for ten minutes, and now Darth Vader knew about the base. The mystery behind Vader went beyond his identity and origins. The way he learnt things was also a mystery.

“You don't need to answer that,” warned Luke, and addressed Vader, “Let them have their own space— most rebel bases have spies already. They should be able to have a safe location.”

“Spies?” asked Han, and put down the plate, “Can you tell me what's going on?”

Luke sighed, and looked at Vader for guidance. Vader nodded. “Han, all these new people you’ve talked about, they're spies–“

Han interrupted. “Imperials?” 

Vader spoke. “No. Nine months ago I learned about the creation of a new political group that wants the Empire and the Rebellion out of the map. Through the course of the last months they have been gaining new members and have infiltrated your bases. You were present during a fake battle on Corellia, the rebels sent their fleet in what they thought was an imperial attack. It was not us.”

Han frowned slightly. “I don't remember being on Corellia.”

Luke's heart skipped a beat. He had mind-wiped Han on Corellia before the attack happened. Han obviously didn't remember seeing any imperials there. “Uh, Han...” mumbled Luke, not knowing how to say it, “You _were_ on Corellia that day.”

“I was _around_ Corellia but I didn't see any imps.”

Luke blinked, and his guilt and anxiety were causing the Force to shake. Vader frowned and paid attention to the disturbance, not knowing what happened to cause such a reaction from the boy. The last time he spiralled was on Corellia because of–

Ah.

Luke continued. “You landed on a platform because something was wrong with the Falcon. We talked and it didn’t go well.”

“I don't remember any of this, kid.”

“I deleted our encounter from your memory.” confessed Luke.

Han's face expressed both confusion and disappointment. “What? You can do that?”

“You threatened to contact High Command and tell them about what the Empire, _what I_ , was doing on Corellia. I told you about this new group and– you wanted to tell High Command because it was a threat. I acted impulsively, it was wrong of me and I still regret it. I'm sorry.”

Han blinked a few times. “What did I say?”

“You were angry that I was working with the Empire, and then I think I scared you.” said Luke, remembering the storm. It played so vividly in his mind that even Vader caught some glimpses through the Force. 

Han dismissed it. “You? Scare me? _Please.”_

“No, I mean it. I don't know what I did but there was a storm, and you–“ Luke’s mind was getting clouded with memories, and he didn't know how to continue. 

“Hey, I don't know what happened, but I remember leaving Corellia that day. The storm was awful, Chewie and I barely made it out.” explained Han, “Don't do that to me ever again though. So what if I got angry? I get mad at Chewie everyday, and Leia seems to be constantly upset with me. Still ain't a reason for them to delete memories outta my head but...“

Luke nodded, looking at the ground. “I'm really sorry for that argument, and for creating the storm. Did you get out safely though?”

“Yeah, Falcon's got a few more scratches but who cares. You were saying?”

Luke blinked a few times, the image from the storm of that awful day disappearing from his mind. Vader had been listening carefully to the conversation, and when the apologies ended he uncrossed his arms, impatient. He looked at his gloves and found droplets of water on the leather, dripping to the ground slowly.

The Commander was politely chatting with the man, again unaware of his own power. It happened with the ash in the cage on Vondarc, when Vader had remembered Mustafar far too vividly— and ash appeared on both of their hands, even if the boy tried to hide it. The Corellian storm still haunted Luke, and his memories of the event were so vivid that the boy managed to bring water into the present.

_Commander. Interrogation, now._

Luke forgot that Vader was there, and clasped his hands to get back to business. When his fingers touched, he felt droplets of water on his skin and he stared at them with a frown, feeling the cold water on his fingers, and how it rolled down to the cloth wrapped around his palms. 

Vader sensed his surprise and spoke through the Force, trying to soothe him as much as possible, even if he didn’t know this was his intention. _It is nothing to be concerned about. Continue._

“Han, do you know exactly when these new people started to arrive at the Rebellion? Where did they come from?” asked Luke.

“About six months ago, I think. Most of them were defectors from the Empire: troopers, low ranking officers, a couple pilots. They were nice at first but I didn't like them.”

“Did High Command suspect they were spies?” asked Luke.

“No! They were happy we were getting so many recruits.”

“Did they send anyone to Takodana recently?” asked Vader.

Han winced whenever Vader talked. “Uh, yes, there was a mission. This new Captain said there were imps on the planet and they needed to check it out...took a couple ships and left.”

Luke's face filled with horror. Vader breathed quietly, processing the information. Luke looked at him, terrified. “This is bad...”

“What's bad?” asked Han, confused. When Luke didn't answer, Han realised. “It was a lie, right?”

Luke nodded, resting his head on his hands. 

Vader spoke. “It was a set-up. The Commander and I were surrounded. If new recruits can create false scenarios to steal your equipment, I am beyond surprised that the Rebellion still stands.”

Han answered. “It doesn't. We're on our last resources, that's why they sent me to make sure the other base was safe. I wasn't being followed, but I got captured! So thanks for that!” said Han bitterly, and then froze. He was still talking to Darth Vader.

“Watch your tone, Captain.” warned Vader.

Before Han could ask how Vader knew he was a Captain, Luke groaned. “Stop it! Both of you!” he exclaimed, standing up, and at that moment Han was more afraid of Luke than of Darth Vader. It was a situation he thought he would never experience.

“Han, I'll tell an Admiral I trust to ask you more questions about what's been going on in the Rebellion. As soon as you're finished, I'll come find you.” said Luke. 

Vader protested. “You will do no such thing.”

“He has a day off.” said Luke bitterly. Han frowned, who were they talking about?

“He does?” asked Vader, confused.

“Yes, he does, Lord Vader,” said Luke, and then turned to Han, “You can trust Piett. I'll see you later.”

“Who's Piett?” asked Han.

Luke left the cell, and Han looked at Vader. The man looked at him too, or so he thought, and then groaned and followed Luke.

Han stared at the closed door, shrugged, and continued eating. 


	20. Ties To You

Luke found a quiet spot in the flagship. He sat on the floor in front of a viewport and looked at the stars. The darkness of space always soothed him, even if he was living in a spaceship and saw space everyday. 

Piett had agreed, reluctantly, to ask Han all the information they needed. An hour had passed, and to Luke's surprise, the stars hadn't moved. The last few months everything was changing so fast, that he expected the flagship to go rusty and stop working because it was too old.

He was only twenty-two. He remembered turning twenty yesterday, and now his own birthday was a few weeks from now. He would be turning twenty-three and wasn't anywhere close to knowing what he was doing with his life.

Two white rocks suddenly floated in front of his eyes, and Luke winced. As his eyes focused on the rocks, he recognised them, and shut his eyes.

“These crystals are difficult to find.” said Vader, making them float back to his hand. Did he have them in his pockets all the time?

Luke sighed and looked at his own hands, still bandaged from their trip to Rhen Var. The injuries had healed days ago, and he knew he should remove the bandages, but he liked how his hands felt.

Vader stood next to him, tall and intimidating, and Luke continued looking at the stars. “Is Piett done?”

“No. He reports that the Captain is giving a lot of information but hardly about the topics that are required of him.” 

Luke snorted quietly. Han was like that. He could talk his way out of anything, or at least that's what he liked to think.

Vader stood silent, looking at the stars too. 

Luke spoke. “How do you think this will end?”

Vader was taken back by the sincerity of the question. He had asked himself the same question hundreds of times, and he didn't know the answer. “Nothing ever ends, Commander. The Empire is still dealing with issues from decades ago. The Rebellion, for instance: we are at war, and _yet_ they are proving to be useful now.”

“You say it like it surprises you,” said Luke, “I'm worried that we're putting in so much effort for nothing. These people are several steps ahead of us— I mean, the last time we thought we would catch them we almost died.”

“We did not die.” corrected Vader. He could tell the boy a hundred stories from the clone wars where he almost died, and during his time in the Empire about a dozen more. 

“Well, _you_ almost did.” said Luke, remembering the accident on Takodana. “I'm not a fan of near-death situations.” he confessed, remembering Tatooine. Vader almost died, and then he almost did too. He remembered Rhen Var, where Vader almost fell off a cliff because of a ghost. The man seemed to breathe death.

Vader didn't want him thinking about death so much. He looked at him: the boy looked exhausted, his eyes had a gaze he recognised all too well. He was waiting for the next big thing to happen and he refused to rest, wanting to get the job done _now_. 

It reminded Vader too much of his younger self. 

“Can I tell you something?” asked Luke.

Vader answered too fast for his own liking. “Anything.” he said. The comm on his wrist started beeping, and he quickly put it on silent. Whatever it was, it could wait. Even if it was Sidious, the bastard could wait. 

Luke's presence in the Force was like waves on a coast, steady and calm. It wasn’t paying attention to Vader's, even if they were always acknowledging one another. Luke had stopped worrying about their connection months ago— it was one of the few things that kept him sane. The galaxy was changing, and yet their bond did not.

“I'm terrified of change. If this insurrection succeeds, they know who we are. We will be the first targets if they decide to take us out...and then it’s all over.” he said as confidently as he could, as if he was reporting an engine malfunction to a mechanic. “Just like that, in one second, all gone.”

Vader sighed and sat down next to Luke, who was still staring at the stars. The feeling of protectiveness rose inside him, even if a part of him was still scared to get too attached.

“If they decide to attack, I will not let them,” said Vader, “You will not die. I promise."

Luke was silent. “I don't think you can cheat death, Lord Vader.”

“I cannot cheat death, but if the situation requires it, you will know how to defend yourself. It is all I can offer you. You asked me how I thought this would end, and I don't know. But I know that worrying about the future will get you nowhere. Right now nobody is trying to kill you.”

Luke smiled bittersweetly. This was coming from the man that placed a bounty of millions on his head. What would happen if he told him the truth? Would Vader drop the stupid bounty and let him live free? Luke knew Vader didn’t care about the pilot, but the betrayal might be too much on him. Luke suspected that Vader didn’t trust people for some reason, but he trusted him. Luke knew the truth might cause Vader to put more shields between them, and if that happened...

No.

It was all too much.

He couldn't do it. If the bounty hunters ever found him, that’s a problem for future Luke. If he worried about the past, the present and the future at the same time he would lose his mind.

The present was fine. They were fine.

He turned around and found Vader sitting near him, and the image startled him at first. It was such a natural act, sitting on the floor, and Darth Vader didn't seem like the type of person to go against social etiquettes. Especially in his own flagship, where anyone could walk past and see him being a regular human being.

The black mask was looking at space, and Vader's presence in the Force seemed to dim. For a man that claimed that being in the present was important, he seemed to be lost in the past. Sometimes he stared into nothing, and his presence in the Force got distracted. He came back to the present fast enough, but each time there was a sting of pain in the action. As if being in the present hurt him; as if the past was more welcoming. 

Luke wondered what happened to Vader. He told him that he used to have a family but didn't say anything else. Luke wouldn't ask, because despite what people thought, Vader was quite a talkative person when he wanted to be. He gave his opinion on many topics often, and yet...

The topic of his past, of his family, of even his real name, was a mystery. Luke sometimes felt like he was talking to a ghost of a person that was dead. 

It was all absurd, of course. Darth Vader was a man of flesh and bones, too real to be a ghost. 

Luke felt Vader's presence completely disappearing into a memory, and looked at his closed hands. Vader always wore black leather gloves, and right now his right palm was closed. Luke opened it carefully and took the crystals on his own palm, examining them. The bandages he wore protected his skin from the sharpness of the crystals.

Vader didn't notice the movement. Luke was sure that if he got up and left, the man wouldn’t notice either. Luke saw the lightsaber attached to Vader's belt and remembered. They could sit in silence for hours if they had free time— but despite the Executor’s low activity they still had a job to do. Especially Vader, who was still doing the Emperor's work. 

Luke stood up and Vader looked at him. “Let's build a lightsaber.” he announced, extending his hand. Vader took it to stand up, and the Force felt like a wave, covering them both with a strange feeling of familiarity.

*** * ***

Vader seemed to have the largest collection of technology in the entire galaxy. They were currently in a room that looked like a Jawa sandcrawler exploded inside. Luke had to be careful not to step on any droid parts that laid scattered on the ground. 

He saw a droid that looked similar to R2-D2. Luke smiled. He missed the small bastard, and wondered if the Rebellion was taking care of him. Where was Threepio? Luke didn't doubt that even if the Rebellion ended, those droids could survive on their own. 

He was staring at the white and grey droid, clearly unfinished because of the several parts that needed to be put together. “Did you make that?” he asked.

Vader was head deep in a metallic box, trying to find something. He peeked out to answer. He left his helmet by the door since he didn't need it now. “Ah, that is not finished.” he answered with a groan, and then went back in.

Luke nodded absentmindedly, and walked to R2-D2's lost cousin. The resemblance was scary. “We had a droid just like this, an R2 unit,” he explained, “He was older than the Empire itself.”

Luke heard Vader stopping the search for a few seconds, and then continuing. “Older? How old?” asked Vader.

"I don't know, older than my father for sure,” said Luke, walking around the room careful not to break anything, “About fifty years?"

Vader didn't answer. “Indeed. R2 units were popular during the Republic,” he said bitterly, and Luke noted that Vader’s shields were suddenly up. He was hiding something, or not telling the complete truth. 

Luke took one last glance at the R2 unit and then walked to help Vader with the materials. Vader used the Force to clean a working table from all the spare metal on it. All the spare metallic pieces fell to the ground with a loud noise. 

“Very well. Did you have any design in mind?” asked Vader. 

The only lightsaber he ever owned was his father’s, so he didn't know what other options there were. “No, but I need something functional.”

“All lightsabers are functional, Commander,” said Vader, and put his own lightsaber on the table, “This hilt is easier to manage but it is heavier than the one I previously had.”

Luke frowned. “What happened to it?”

“It got lost.” whispered Vader bitterly. Luke sensed the lie miles away, but didn't say anything. It didn't matter. He tried picturing his father's lightsaber, carefully hidden in his own quarters a few floors above. It had a similar design to Vader's, he noticed, but it looked more functional.

Vader had wondered what happened to his lightsaber after Mustafar. Kenobi probably took it, and it was a pity. He designed that lightsaber so it had an easy grip and a faster ignition speed. Luke was also thinking about the lightsaber— and the weapon, carefully hidden inside his quarters, was starting to shake slightly from the Force. 

Vader handed him his lightsaber, and Luke took it carefully. It was heavier, and had several scratches. Luke took a step back and ignited it. The ignition sound echoed across the room, and the intensity of the red blade made Luke want to take a step back. 

Vader glanced between Luke and the blade.

“How does it work?” asked Luke.

“The blade is plasma, and it is powered by the crystal that goes in the center,” summarised Vader, “You must not invert the emitter matrix or the power grid will backfire.”

Luke gave Vader his lightsaber back, and after a few minutes of explaining, Luke tried to start assembling. Vader stayed nearby and kept looking at what Luke was doing to make sure the room didn’t explode. 

Luke managed to almost end the assembly four times, but it always failed at last minute. He thought this would be easier. 

“If it was easy, anyone could do it.” commented Vader absentmindedly, walking to Luke. “Start over. Careful with the matrix.”

Luke thought that if his father could do it thirty years ago, so could he. The thought that his father went through the same process pushed him over to finally _finally_ see the lightsaber locking. It fell to the table with a loud metallic cling. 

Vader took it and examined it. He nodded. “It is safe to use,” he said, handing it back to Luke. He took it with almost shaky hands, and registered that it was the same weight as his father’s. He chose a regular metallic colour with a grey handle and it fit nicely in his hands. They were still bandaged, and it would take some time to get used to the sharpness of some edges. 

Luke took a step back and ignited it. At first the blade had hints of blue, and when it ignited to its full length it was white. Luke didn’t remember the crystal he chose to have any shades of blue. Maybe there was a reason why the Jedi didn’t use crystals from Rhen Var. 

He moved it around experimentally, and Vader suppressed the need to correct Luke's stance. The boy knew how to hold the weapon, but his movements were clumsy. He was telling the truth when he said he had no experience in combat whatsoever.

The hum of the lightsaber echoed the room, and Luke turned the lights off with the Force. The white blade was as bright as a neon light, and Luke smiled. He finally had a lightsaber that belonged to him. He loved the lightsaber he had inherited from his father, but it wasn’t his. It belonged to a dead man, and even if he was his son, it never really fit him.

Kenobi gave him that lightsaber the last time he saw him, way before Luke joined the Rebellion. He didn't tell his aunt and uncle, and kept it as a gift. It wasn't until he met people that knew the Jedi and identified the lightsaber for what it was— a dangerous weapon. Luke knew it could cut through things, he obviously had clicked all the buttons and was frightened when he saw the blade, but he hadn’t tried it on people. He wasn't planning to.

He didn't have the opportunity to ask Kenobi how he had his father's lightsaber, and why he was giving it to him. He was planning to hold onto it, and now he finally had a lightsaber he could use without fearing that it will get lost forever.

The darkness of the room and only a lightsaber illuminating the room took Vader back to the cage on Vondarc. He frowned. “Back in Vondarc, I saw you with a lightsaber.”

Luke stopped breathing. He had used his father's lightsaber to defend himself and Han. He knew it would backfire at him someday. “Yes, I told you my father was a Jedi. The lightsaber was his.”

“Do you still use it?” asked Vader.

“It's old and dysfunctional, Lord Vader. I keep it for sentimental purposes only.” explained Luke. “I wanted something I could use and that was mine.”

Vader crossed his arms. “Do you have it?”

Luke clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. “Yes.”

Luke felt like Vader was circling above him like a vulture. The man tilted his head, still frowning, the orange in his eyes shining brighter because of the brightness of Luke's lightsaber.

“You still have it, and yet you chose to go to a cave in Rhen Var to seek crystals. Were you planning to build a lightsaber all along?” asked Vader. His tone was accusing. 

“No! I was only keeping a promise,” reassured Luke, thankful that the topic of his father's lightsaber was irrelevant, “If there weren't any crystals on Rhen Var I'd go to another planet to find them. That wasn’t about me, Lord Vader. I made a promise to you, and I intended to keep it.” explained Luke, turning the lights on with the Force and keeping the lightsaber pointed to the ground. “Besides I'm pretty sure you have spare lightsabers somewhere. I didn't need to get any crystals for myself. They were for you, but I'm glad that you gave them to me to build this.”

Vader stopped frowning, but he was still confused. This was taking a turn he didn't like. Nothing about this boy made sense: he had a grace and kindness that Vader had forgotten how to be on the recipient's side of. He gave the crystals back to him because they would be more useful inside a lightsaber. He didn't need to be _thanked._ And now apparently Starkiller already owned a lightsaber and still wanted to build another? 

But Vader understood that. If he had a lightsaber that belonged to someone else, he would want to build his own. 

Fine.

Luke started to breathe when Vader turned around and started putting things back to their place. His small slip-up about his father's lightsaber had gone unnoticed, and Luke made a mental note to think about what he would do with that lightsaber.

They left the room and Luke held his new lightsaber in his hands, slowly getting used to it. He didn’t know where they were going, and just followed Vader blindly. The man answered his comms on their way back to the prison cells, and Luke only realised where they were when they stopped in front of Han's cell.

Vader entered first, and saw Piett rubbing his eyes while Han was talking to himself. “I'm telling you I don't know where they came from. Chewie tried to ask but...” his voice faded when he saw Vader.

Piett frowned at the silence, even if he was thankful that Han gave him some peace, and when he opened his eyes he stood up. “Lord Vader.” 

Vader acknowledged him, and Piett looked behind him to find Luke blindly walking down the two stairs and into the cell. “Commander.”

Luke finally snapped from his trance. “How did it go?” he asked. “Sorry for calling you in, by the way. You can have the day off tomorrow.”

Han's eyes widened. Since when Luke ordered Admirals? Vader turned around to glance at Luke, but didn't say anything. 

Piett spoke. “I will have the transcript summarised and ready in two hours.” he said formally, and then addressed Vader, “My Lord, can I have a word?” 

Vader and Piett left the cell, and Han exhaled. 

Luke smiled. “You talked him to death.”

“How do you know?"

“Piett is made of steel. I've never seen him so exhausted.”

Han smiled with pride, and then stopped smiling when he realised Luke's expression was grim. “Listen, I didn't know it was this bad. And uh...” he mumbled, “Sorry I judged you before. I mean, you're doing impressive work here.”

_Even if it's with Vader._

Luke heard what went unsaid, and looked at the ground. “It's important, Han. As soon as it ends, I'm out of here.”

Han crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall, a suspicious glance on his eyes. “Really? Are you? You look comfortable here. With Vader.”

“I know what you think, Han. But–“

“But what?”

“I'm learning a lot from him. Look,” said Luke, handing Han his new lightsaber, “He taught me how to build this just now.”

Han inspected the weapon. “It looks like the one you have...it was your father's, right?” he asked, and Luke nodded. “Ever wondered what happened to him?”

Luke stopped. “What do you mean?”

“You said he was a Jedi. The man who executes Jedi is right behind that door–“

Luke interrupted. “No. I have a deal with him: I help with the insurrection problem, he finds out what happened to my father.”

“You think he'll keep his promise?”

Luke didn't hesitate to answer. “He will.”

Han rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. You're not a kid. I suppose I can't order you around anymore.”

“You never did.” protested Luke sarcastically.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

Luke smiled. He missed this kind of playful innocent banter. Now all his words had consequences. 

“What happened to your hands?” asked Han.

“Ah that. Got some scratches in a cave.”

“What were you doing in a cave?!”

Luke sighed. “It's a long story.” he said, and then heard Vader's voice inside his head. 

_We have a new lead. Leaving in thirty minutes._

“Han, what did you tell Piett?” asked Luke. At that moment Vader opened the door, and stood still without entering. 

_The data he gave us matches the one we have. They change bases every week. If we are to catch them, we have to leave_ **_now_** _._

Han watched Vader stand still like a statue. 

_Is he free to go, then?_

_Yes. Walk him back to his ship._

Luke looked at Han. “You can leave now. You took the Falcon, right?”

Han made a shocked face. “Of course I took her! Who else could handle the–“

Luke instructed him to stand up and follow him quickly. Luke was surprised that Vader allowed a rebel to leave— but Han had been useful. Perhaps this was his reward.

They passed Piett on his way out: his clothing and modals as impeccable as always. Luke nodded at him and continued walking, but Piett put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

“Be careful.” said Piett, and Luke had never seen him so exhausted. It was all the months of non-stop work that were making his skin a little paler and his hair a little greyer.

Luke felt guilty again that he called him in on his only day of rest. “You have a free day tomorrow too, to compensate for today.” he said, knowing that his words alone couldn't change legal contracts, but he could talk to Vader later. 

“I'm afraid that's not how it works here, Commander,” said Piett with a polite smile, glancing at Han in the distance, “Do give your friend my regards. He has quite the spirit.”

Luke laughed and went with Han to the main hangar, where he saw the Millenium Falcon again. He hadn't seen it in months, and it still looked the same. 

Luke talked to stormtroopers and they left them alone under Vader’s ‘orders’. Luke knew he couldn’t use Vader’s name for special treatment all the time, but it made life so much easier.

They walked into the Falcon, and Luke stopped on his tracks. It was exactly as he remembered it— and his soul jumped back into memories. He smiled beyond himself, and Han noticed. “You sure you don't want to go with me? We could use your help...and you. We've missed you kid, truly.” 

“Me too, but I have things to take care of here. Tell High Command what you know, and stick to the people you trust.” said Luke, following Han to the cockpit.

Han raised his arms in defeat and started the engines. “Will do, Commander.”

Luke looked around one last time. “Promise not to destroy the Executor the moment you’re out.” 

“How could I? You're in it.” said Han, “Plus I liked that Admiral guy. Nice man for an imperial. Knows a lot about pirates for some reason...” he said, doing a pre-flight check-up. 

"Take care Han, I mean it. I've seen what those people can do." said Luke. “No planet or base is safe enough anymore.”

"I'm more worried about you than me,” confessed Han. "I don't like where this is going more but you're doing great work. Come here."

They hugged and Luke told him to give Leia a hug from him, and left. He watched the Millenium Falcon and his friend fly away. He felt someone approaching, and watched the hangar shields turning back on again, and from the corner of the eye he saw Vader standing next to him. 

“We must go.” he said urgently. Luke nodded, taking one last look at where the Falcon stood not even two minutes ago, and followed Vader into another ship. 


	21. Relevance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for some injuries to background characters

Luke read the menu again. When was the last time he ate at a place like this? He didn't remember. Probably never. Tatooine didn't have any restaurants or cafeterias, only cantinas for drinking. He then joined the Alliance, and he didn't have time to visit places like this to just _relax._

They had _fruit smoothies,_ for Force sake, and mostly served breakfast. If all else failed, Luke would make sure to apply for a job here. He would happily spend the rest of his days on this planet, in this town, making breakfast.

A waitress approached him, wearing an orange apron and holding a datapad. “Are you ready to order, sir?”

Luke avoided swinging his legs under the table from the excitement. “Yes,” he smiled, “I'd like a sweet granadilla tea, two of these chocolate biscuits, and...a blueberry smoothie, if you can.” he blinked. If they could? They worked here! He smiled nervously at the waitress but she didn't seem to notice his awkwardness.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“Uh, no. That's it for now,” he said, cringing at his words, “Thank you.”

The waitress frowned at him. “Will your father order anything?”

Luke froze. The Force stopped to listen, waiting for an answer.

Luke blinked a few times. “My wh–my what?” The waitress tilted her head slightly towards the man on the other side of the table. Luke raised his eyebrows. “Oh, _him_ ,” he laughed, “He's not my father–”

She wanted to comment on the physical resemblance they shared, but didn't. “Oh, I'm sorry–”

“It's fine,” said Luke, wanting the conversation to be over, “He'll have a cold glass of water. Thank you.” Vader glanced at him for a second, and then continued looking outside the balcony. 

The waitress frowned at the situation, apologized again, and left. Luke leaned back against the cushioned seats and exhaled deeply, looking at the sky. This planet had everything: temperate climate, good food, clear skies, it wasn't too crowded by people— Luke had no idea why someone who wanted to destroy the Empire would choose to meet _here._

But who was he to speak? Darth Vader and a former rebel were surveilling the town square from the inside of a building. Vader wanted to get to the roof and survey from there, but Luke said No. There was a café that offered a better view from the square, and Vader was wearing too much black for the warm weather. He would get fried in the sun. Luke had the advantage of having grown up on Tatooine and his body had good tolerance for high temperatures, but there was _zero_ chance that Vader grew up on Tatooine too. He couldn't have any heat tolerance at all, especially if he spent most of his time on a flagship with artificial air.

Luke was convinced Vader would at least take off his coat, but the man seemed immune to the heat. Add it to the list of things that didn't make sense about him, thought Luke.

Vader crossed his arms, adjusted his posture, and continued staring at the town square without any hints on his face that he was enjoying the change of scenery. Luke knew Vader wasn't the type of person who knew how to relax, let alone in public. Vader had the advantage that without his helmet he could blend in easily, or so he thought. 

Jafan was located in the Mid Rim, near the Naboo system. At this time of the year people didn't wear winter clothes, but Luke gave up before even trying to convince Vader.

The waitress brought them the order, and Luke inhaled deeply and smiled. They, no, _he_ should do this more often. As soon as the wars ended, he'd take all his friends to this place. Piett liked tea, and this café offered an impressive collection. Leia loved towns like this, since they reminded her of Alderaan. Han...Han would like the weather. Fuel was also cheap. Luke smiled as he picked up a spoon and remembered Han Solo: his interests were so diverse that Luke wouldn't be surprised if one day Han pointed at a rock and said he'd bring it into the Falcon for decoration.

Luke looked at the simple glass of water that stood in the middle of the table. Vader hadn't said a word since they entered.

Luke handed him the glass of water, knowing that Vader would ignore him again, and his predictions were true. Vader's eyes were glancing at all the people below in the square, going on about their lives as if The Darth Vader wasn't observing them. Luke nudged Vader's arm with the glass, and Vader gave up and took it. 

Luke leaned back and started eating. _No signs of any evil kidnappers out there?_

_Not yet._

_What are we looking for anyway?_

Vader didn't answer, and Luke felt his presence in the Force completely distracted. Darth Vader, for as methodical and precise as he was, tended to zone out a lot. Since he always wore the helmet, nobody knew this— but in the rare moments Luke saw him without the helmet, Vader's eyes sometimes fixed on the wall, the lightsaber, the ground; anything, and right now he was staring at the centre of the square, where a couple of kids were trying to splash in a fountain without their mothers noticing. Vader's mind seemed to be in another system entirely.

Wait.

Luke took a long sip of the blueberry smoothie. _You hate this place._

_As bright and observant as always, Commander._

Luke noticed the bitterness in his voice, and put the smoothie down. _I'm serious. We could go to another building if you–_

_No._

_It's not the building?_

_It's the sector._

Luke was surprised by the confession. The Chromell sector was one of the most peaceful places in the galaxy, what happened to Vader here? 

Vader continued. _They shouldn't have chosen this sector for their operations. When I find them, they will pay the price._

If they had chosen Naboo, they'd be dead the moment he saw them. The galaxy had thousands of astronomical objects to set a base in— but, if their data was right, they had chosen Jafan.

Stupid.

 _First we have to find them, if they're even here._ said Luke, not really caring about the mission anymore. _Hey, I looked at the holomap and perhaps later we could visit Nab–_

 _Stop._ Vader's attention was on a stormtrooper that was currently patrolling the square, and the Force felt strange. Luke was too busy trying to figure out how to remove the tea bag from the cup. He had left it for exactly five minutes, as it said in the instructions, but it said nothing about removing it without making a mess. He took a spoon and tried to squeeze whatever was left in the tea bag —only because he had seen Leia and Bail do this— and put the bag next to the cup, trying not to stain the tablecloth. Piett would know how to handle this, because right now, he didn't.

Vader leaned closer to the edge, still somehow sitting down, to inspect the stormtrooper. _Do you feel the panic?_ he asked.

Luke frowned. _I'm confused, not panicking. They didn't even say what do with the tea–_

_That stormtrooper. He's panicking, impatient. Something is wrong._

Oh.

Luke leaned closer to the edge, and tried to find the stormtrooper in the middle of the crowd. It was midday, and the locals were going out to the market and taking the children to school. He put a hand over his eyes to avoid the sun.

The stormtrooper looked around far too many times to be considered local patrolling. Vader watched him like a hawk, and then abruptly stood up and left the café. Luke looked at the sky slowly, asking the Force for patience, paid for the food, took the chocolate biscuits and followed Vader, waving goodbye at the staff.

An old lady looked at the two men running from the café, and shook her head in disapproval. “The rich from the Inner Core get more eccentric every year. No manners at all.” she announced, raising a finger into the air.

The waitress taking her order nodded. “A weird family those two, I'm telling ya.”

***** * ***   
  
**

They followed the stormtrooper through the crowd, keeping a safe distance, even if they could feel the panic through the Force. They saw him entering a building, and Vader raised a hand to stop Luke. 

“Stay here and keep watch.”

Luke protested. “No, I'm going with you!”

“This is an order.” said Vader, his voice almost having the same intensity and volume as his robotic one, “I do not need any distractions. If I need your assistance, I will tell you.”

Luke knew he couldn't argue his way out of an order, and leaned back against a wall and watched Vader enter the building. 

Inside, it looked like an unused storage space, and the lights were intact. The walls were grey and unpainted, and Vader held the trooper's position through the Force as a map. His panic was decreasing by each second, so Vader had no choice but to follow him.

He reached a hangar that could fit several TIE fighters inside, and felt about five people. He remained in the long corridor that went towards the hangar, and quickly peeked out and saw someone he didn't recognise, who wore an imperial uniform. He sat in a chair, turning the pages of a notebook with a scowl. “We need cash. How's the big one going?” asked the man.

Vader hid back in the long corridor. It was slightly less dimmed than the hangar since they clearly weren't expecting anyone.

Another voice answered. “Not good. We don't even know if he's there anymore. No one wants to talk about him. It's like they all have some promise not to even mention the death star. He vanished, boom, gone!”

“Maybe he relocated to another base?” suggested another person. “Try asking around.”

The officer laughed coldly. “As if I haven't thought about that already: ‘hello have you seen the pilot that blew up the death star around here?’ People will suspect!” he protested.

The other officer replied calmly. “Just suggesting. He's still out there buddy. If the bounty hunters caught him we would know.” he exhaled, “Also where would they take him?”

“Prison if he's lucky,” answered the main officer, “If he's not, to Darth Vader.”

Vader was listening to the conversation quietly. The insurrectionists wanted to find the pilot too. Why was everyone so obsessed? He understood they needed the money, and the bounty was high— but there were other bounties in the galaxy that paid well. Why this pilot? He would have to find him himself and ask what was so special about him, and how he managed to escape these people's claws. 

The Commander spoke through the Force. _Some B-wing Fighter is landing on the roof. Are you still there?_ he asked. From the outside, hidden by the shadow of a building, Luke was enjoying the warmth on his skin. He watched from the ground as five people gathered around the B-wing fighter, talking silently. 

_Affirmative._ said Vader through the Force.

Another officer spoke. “The man will be lucky if he gets killed before he reaches Vader.”

Vader almost rolled his eyes. He wanted to ask the pilot about his outstanding manoeuvring to avoid the Empire, not kill him.

 _I'm going back to our ship. If they leave now we'll follow them._ said the Commander. 

“Yeah but we don't need a dead pilot. Dead pilot: no money."

The officer in charge interrupted. “Enough of this. Make the rebels talk, I don't care how. Even half of that sum could get us a new–” his comm beeped, and he picked it up. “Yes, what? No. Not that I know. It's not my responsibility!” he hung up, “As I was saying, find him.”

“But– Vanis was inside the Rebellion for months and didn't figure it out, I'm there for a week and expected to find it out myself?”

Silence.

Vader expected backlash. If these people were from the Empire and the Rebellion, there were tones that couldn't be used with higher ranks. 

“Answering your question, yes. It is your mission. Don't like it, leave. I'm sure your commanding officer would be pleased to hear of your treason.”

It was a threat. Vader could feel the tension in the room even without using the Force. After a few seconds, the fake-rebel gave up. “I'll find him, sir.”

“Good,” said the officer in charge. Vader heard the sound of a chair being moved, and calculated his next move. If this was a mission of finding out the base and destroying it, he wouldn't even have to walk into the building. He was there to gather intelligence— so no violence it was. He was all ears now.

“To conclude this and we leave, I want to remind you that all the work you are putting will be beneficial on the long run. A few more weeks, and they're gone.”

Vader didn't dare breathe now. They continued talking about irrelevant details such as fuel prices and the weather, until Vader felt the Commander's Force presence again, getting closer.

_They are leaving. Do not be recognised._

_Recognised? It's a bit tough landing in the middle of a town! Where are you?_

_Inside the building._

_Get out! The people on the roof aren’t there anymore._

Vader made the decision to leave quietly. He had already heard all that needed to be heard. Once outside, he saw their ship in a landing area a street down, and got in.

He didn't like what he heard. They were plotting. That was _his_ job.

Luke allowed Vader to pilot, and they followed the B-wing fighter into the atmosphere, keeping a safe distance. Vader told him what he heard, and Luke tensed.

The insurrection was after him. Well, not him exactly— the pilot responsible for the destruction of the death star. Him.

He was surprised that the rebels hadn't said his name out loud. Maybe they didn't trust their own anymore or maybe they respected him. Either way, he was grateful. He asked more questions, bordering on explanations for what ‘they would soon be gone’ meant, but Vader seemed to be immune to any kind of debates. He asked questions, expected precise answers, and didn't talk. Or Luke asked a question, was met with some seconds of silence, and then given a precise answer. 

Now he was concentrated on following the B-wing fighter through the nearest hyperspace lane, and if his predictions were true, he didn't like their destination.   
  


* * *

They dropped out of hyperspace thirty minutes later, and when they saw the planet Vader's soul opened the ramp and walked into dead space. He hated being right.

Luke smiled. “This is Naboo, isn't it?”

How Vader wished it wasn't Naboo, how he wished not knowing what this planet was, what memories he had here that he had buried within himself to the point of doubting their realness. Maybe it all had happened to him, maybe it hadn't. 

_It is._

“I've never been here,” said Luke, watching the other ship become a small dot, “Are we still following them?”

Vader took a deep breath. The sole of his feet ached not to step on the planet ever again, but it burnt him not to. He felt the planet calling to him, remembering him, accepting the memories he made on its grounds as good enough to come back. He felt its forgiveness, but didn't accept it.

Vader gripped the controls tighter and descended at high speed, catching up with the other ship from a distance. Naboo was as he remembered it: green, blue, filled with small villages and clear skies. He wished he could enjoy it as he had once, but now was not the time.

Luke watched the surroundings in awe. He had travelled a significant portion of the galaxy, but he still stopped to stare at large amounts of water in one place. The lakes here seemed to go forever. 

Vader was closed off from their bond, trying not to pay attention to the scenery and more on following the other ship. He had to keep a distance and also not to lose sight of it. 

“Naboo seems to have resisted the Empire. This place is so...green.” commented Luke, watching the lakes below them. 

“Do not be mistaken. There is imperial presence.” said Vader.

Luke knew that was a lie. The Rebellion was loved on Naboo and Alderaan and had many supporters living in villages and helping rebels out whenever they could. Imperial presence was there, but it was very low.   
  
“What's that?” asked Luke, pointing at something in the horizon.

Vader looked at it for a moment. ”Lake Country.” 

Luke blinked. “You've been here before?”

Vader was silent for a while, and Luke let the topic slide, until eventually Vader answered. “I have, and they should not be here.” He didn't want anyone related to the Empire walking on Naboo's grounds. He wasn't an exception. 

The B-wing fighter they were following took another route, for which Vader was grateful. He manoeuvred into the clouds and kept glancing at the radar map for intrusions. A couple of other ships flew by, both touristic or privately owned, and he realised he got into the wrong lane.  
  
He maneouvred his way down, avoiding several ships, and Luke gripped his seat tighter. He was a good pilot, but Vader was excellent. The man learnt how to fly first and then walk. Luke wouldn't exaggerate if he said that Vader was the best pilot he ever met.

Once Vader slowed down and went at a somehow normal speed, Luke relaxed slightly and looked at Vader. He was concentrated on the sky, and yet his eyes were glancing at all the screens at the same time.

“Are you alright?” asked Luke, concerned.

Vader frowned for a few seconds. He never knew how to answer to such a simple question. “They seem to be landing.”

Luke looked at the ship below them and saw that it began descending into the woods. He turned back at Vader. “Good for them. Are _you_ okay?”

“Yes.”

Luke knew it was a lie. But pressing Vader on something he didn't want to discuss was never a good idea. He did say he didn't like the sector, even if he seemed to know it pretty well. 

Vader landed a respectable distance away from the B-wing fighter, and Luke got up and out of the cockpit. Vader refused to move. He didn't want to leave the security of the ship: they were still in Lake County territory. 

Luke turned around when he saw that Vader wasn't coming. “Lord Vader?”

No answer.

He went back to the cockpit, and found Vader staring at the trees in front of them. Luke scanned the Force and heard faint laughter, the yellow color and felt a warm sun on his skin.

Now he looked outside and it looked like it would rain soon.

Vader was remembering. Something happened to him here.

”Lord Vader.” said Luke again, “We have to go or we will lose them.”

Vader turned off the engines and left the cockpit slowly. Luke smelled a flower perfume on him, even if it wasn't there before. He ignored it and followed Vader down the ramp.

The moment his feet stepped on Naboo he froze as his surroundings changed. He saw a waterfall, a clear with short green grass and two people far away from him. He felt the sun's warmth on his skin, and the smell of fresh water and flowers. 

When he blinked away, it was all gone. He had to run to catch up to Vader, who was walking incredibly fast. When he caught up to him, he spoke. “I just saw a waterfall, is it close?”

Vader stopped breathing. “Yes...but not enough to go by foot and we will _not_ go there.”

Luke walked next to him now, nearly jogging due to speed and height difference. They reached the part of the woods where the ship was supposed to be, and both of their alarms spiked up when they saw smoke. A few steps in, and they saw that the B-wing fighter ship had crashed. Smoke came from the inside and a couple of loose flames were around it. 

“Where's everyone?” asked Luke.

Vader walked closer to the ruins to inspect the state of the ship. 

Luke's senses were screaming at him. Something was wrong. It started as a screech inside his mind and audibly grew louder. He felt tension, waiting— patience.

The screech stopped abruptly.

Luke saw a blast going towards Vader, and ignited his white lightsaber abruptly, standing in front of him to deflect the blast. It hit the lightsaber and flew backwards towards a tree.

Vader sensed it too and opened himself up to the Force to scan. His eyes darted all over the place.

A man came out of the woods, arms raised. He put the blaster on the ground in front of him, slightly shaking. “Here, take it.” he said to them, kicking his blaster towards them.

Luke caught it with his foot and kicked it further away. “What was that for?!”

“I thought you were rebels! Sorry!”

Vader stepped ahead, raising a hand to stop Luke. “Who says that we are not, officer?”

“How do you know I'm an officer?” asked the man.

Vader recognised the voice from the building on Jafar. This man complained about not being able to find the death star pilot. “Your ship crashed. Where were you going?”

“Who are you?”

“That is irrelevant. You are waiting for somebody, a rescue, are you not? We are here.”

The man blinked a few times, and tilted his head to look at the ignited lightsaber. “That's uh– rescuers don’t usually have weapons like that.”

_Deactivate it._

Luke did as he was told. He was worried about the silence through the Force, and that Vader was talking to a stranger for so long. “What happened to the ship?” 

“Last minute malfunction. We all made it out and I was told to wait.” said the officer, and then his eyes landed on Luke, “You, I know you!” laughed the man in relief, “You work with Vader!”

Luke tensed. 

Vader answered for him, still standing in front of Luke. He didn't notice that his hands were slightly shaking from the scare, and that the arm closest to the boy was slightly raised mid-way.

“He does. Any message you want us to send to Vader?” asked Vader.

The officer hesitated. “Tell him to run, man. It's gonna get bad. Tell him to find some asteroid in the Outer Rim and stay there. It ain't safe anywhere anymore.”

They frowned. Vader was surprised by the confession. This man was planning to betray the Empire, already had by joining the insurrection, and now he was also betraying the insurrection? Interesting.

“I served under him for a while. He didn't like me I think, I was young,” he said, out of breath, arms still raised in the air, “But I respect him. If you work for him you should also run. They've got eyes all over the pla–“

The officer fell to the ground, electrocuted and shaking. Luke immediately ran to help him, and Vader looked around. A person on a speeder far away was holding a weapon: put it over their back, turned on the engines and left.

Not so fast.

The speeder stopped and was dragged backwards at high speed, until the person was on the ground, immobile. 

“Identify yourself.” ordered Vader.

Luke glanced at the situation from afar, trying to find a pulse. The officer was breathing, but he needed a medic. 

“Who gave you the order to shoot that man?” asked Vader.

_He needs a medic._

_Go. Take his speeder. There's an imperial outpost a few miles up north. Take him there and report it to Piett._

_What about you?_

Vader didn't answer. 

_A ship full of people that want you dead crashed in these woods. I am not leaving you._

_I survived worse. Go._

Luke found it hard to go, but the man on the floor needed urgent medical treatment to survive. He used the Force to get the speeder to where they were, and told the officer to hold onto him and that they were going to see a doctor soon. The man held onto him without much energy, but he was stable.

Luke started the speeder and turned around to Vader. The man nodded, and Luke left.

Vader watched him become a small dot in the distance, and once he was sure the Commander wouldn't feel him, he talked again. 

“I give you ten seconds to speak.”

“Ha.”

Vader crouched in front of the man, and dragged him up by his collar. The man, around his same age with several scars on his neck, saw his orange eyes and shivered in fear.

“He was talking too much. We expected that he would chicken out of the operation.” he confessed fast, “You are an imperial right? You know where Vader is?”

“Say I do, why are you asking?”

“Why? You know why! He told you already! Vader's gonna die soon.”

Vader laughed coldly. “Oh, is that so? Who is planning to kill him then?”

“There are over fifty people working close to him on the Executor: officers, commanding officers, pilots, all ours. The moment he's on sight, he's dead.”

“What do you expect will happen now? Vader knows about your insignificant group. He knows about the assassination plans.” said Vader.

The man blinked a few times. “How?”

The man looked up at him, and saw orange eyes void of any emotion. “Bring this message to your superiors: kill him quickly. He will be waiting.”

The man frowned, and nodded rapidly. The situation was claustrophobic, and he had a feeling that the man's eyes would haunt him forever. 

**NORTHERN IMPERIAL BASE— NABOO**

  
Luke stood outside the emergency room, looking at the ground. The doctors said the officer was stable and would heal fast, and Luke was thankful for the good news. 

Piett walked out of the room, his hands slightly shaking. Luke looked at him, expecting him to talk.

He didn't.

“That bad?” asked Luke, “What did he say?”

Piett nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. “We can't talk here. Follow me.”

They reached an unused office that gave view to a small town far away, and the rest was woods. Luke looked outside, hoping to find a small dot coming towards the imperial outpost, or a ship landing, but nothing happened.

Piett waited until the door was completely shut, and checked the room's security. Once he was satisfied, he sat down on a small black leather couch in the corner, exhausted. The office was big and the two windows reached the ground, and from his sitting position he could only see the sky and a green horizon. The Commander was standing in front of a window, arms crossed, looking outside. 

“You are lucky to have survived today.” said Piett.

Luke exhaled impatiently and continued staring outside. There was no one. “He's still out there.”

Piett sighed. “He has survived dozens of assassination attempts. If there is anyone in the galaxy that could do that, is him. And probably you.”

Luke laughed without much emotion. “Trust me, no.”

“You two are more alike than you think, Commander. Lord Vader knows what he's doing.”

Luke doubted that very much. 

“And so? The officer?” asked Luke. 

“Yes,” exhaled Piett, “He will live, but he will be put under ISB protection. I just sent the petition.” 

Again? thought Luke, it was the second officer that rebelled against the insurrection that was put under protection. A few months ago a member of their own investigation team left the Executor under a new name to avoid being targeted again. If this continued the ISB would need to open a department specifically for them.

“He insisted that both of you needed to hide, but then the doctors said he needed to rest so I had to leave.” said Piett. “The explanations weren't clear, but he seemed convinced.”

“Are there any explanations to give? From what we know, they have the Emperor, if he's even alive anymore, and the only logical solution is to take out the other leaders. Vader currently has the highest rank in the Empire. It had to happen sooner or later... I just wish we could have prevented it.”

“We are preventing it right now,” said Piett, “as soon as he comes back we will put a security protocol in place–“

Luke snorted. “Firmus, sorry, but do you actually think that Vader needs security?”

“It is protocol.”

“He doesn't care about any of them.”

Luke didn't want to argue, but Vader didn't need anyone following him around for additional security. The man was already additional security.

Piett spoke with a small smile. “I remember when officer Ruh was threatened, Lord Vader asked me to send additional security to his cell. Next morning I found you on the ground outside the cell, sleeping, and he was there too. Sitting, waiting. I wasn't sure what happened, but the security I brought was useless compared to him.”

Luke blinked a few times. That was indeed a weird night, but they didn't talk about it in any detail. No one attacked the cell that night, due to Vader being there or maybe not, but Vader had been there nonetheless. 

Now he was there, alone. Luke knew Vader was more than capable of defending himself, but ever since they landed on Naboo he seemed distracted. He was in his own mind, more than the usual, he stared at the sky and the trees at the ground and anywhere else but the present. 

Luke's hands itched, and he went to scratch them unconsciously. He accidentally ripped the bandages open, and looked at his hands. He expected blood or other complications since he refused to remove them, but the wounds had healed. If Vader hadn't urged him to clean them they would still be bleeding today.

Luke sighed. “I'll take a spare ship. I can't leave him out there.” he said urgently, walking towards the door.

“Stop,” said Piett, his voice tired. It was his second not–day off, and he eventually gave up on thinking he would ever have one. He liked his job. Days off felt more like a duty than what he usually did. Plus, Naboo was pleasant and he was always grateful for some fresh air. “It's dangerous.”

“So is he. I don't care,” said Luke decisively, taking the bandages off with urgency, “I'll have my location on. If I don't come back at midnight, send a squadron to wherever I will be. There's also a loose crew of that crashed ship somewhere in the woods. They couldn't have gone far. Find them and bring them in for interrogation, unharmed.”

Piett could swear he was hearing Lord Vader speak at that moment. The intonation of the words and the orders were too similar. 

“Commander–“

Luke had already left.


	22. The Woods

As if Luke didn't have enough people vanishing in less than a year, Darth Vader disappeared into the woods and there was no way to reach him. Luke could vaguely feel his presence somewhere far, but he couldn't locate him. 

It was three in the afternoon in Naboo, and he had taken a speeder and passed the woods in about an hour until he reached a village. There weren't any Force sensitives nearby, yet the Force called to him. It felt like a warm breeze on his neck, and he kept turning around to see if anyone was looking at him. Nobody ever did, except for the occasional curious children that recognised his imperial uniform and pointed at him. The villagers were harmless, and Luke wanted to leave and continue searching for Vader in the next inhabited area— and yet.

_Luke..._

He turned around abruptly. 

A small bird was looking at him from the roof of a market. He frowned, looked around and continued walking, not really knowing where he was going. He used the Force to make the speeder move next to him, making sure it levitated a few inches above ground so nobody suspected. The last thing he needed was people accusing him of being a Jedi.

_Don't go. Your presence is soothing._

Luke stopped walking and froze in place. The speeder hit the ground. Vader was speaking inside his head. “Lord Vader?” he asked out loud. He clung onto that voice, trying to see if their Force bond was functional again— but Vader wasn't there.

But it _was_ his voice. He recognised it. Vader's words didn't make any sense, but the Force was sending them. “What do you mean? Where are you?” whispered Luke, looking around in trance. The houses looked all the same to him, and his clothes started to burn under the warm sun.

Near him a group of kids were kicking a ball to pass the time, and a little girl stared at him. “Did you drink the lake water, sir?”

The children weren't older than ten and were busy playing, but this little girl just stared at him without blinking. She had wavy dark brown hair and big owlish eyes. “The lake water. It's bad for you. Makes people talk to no one,” she explained, moving the ball in circles with her foot. “You can't drink the lake water.”

Luke opened his mouth to speak but closed it immediately. He didn't know what to say, and the Force was pulling him to the other side of the village. 

_The people you served thought you did a good job._ said Vader's voice inside his head, and Luke groaned out loud in frustration. The girl stopped moving the ball and frowned in concern, tugging her hair behind her ears.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

The Force was a magnet pulling him to another street. Luke looked around, begging to see Vader and ask for explanations, but he wasn't there. “I have to go...” said Luke to no one, and jogged out of the square into a wide market street— the speeder following him behind with the Force.

The kids' jaws dropped. “A wizard!” they exclaimed, eyes widened, and as soon as Luke disappeared out of view they continued playing as if nothing happened. The little girl however watched him leave, and it took her a few seconds to join her friends. 

Luke followed the magnet across the wide streets, ignoring the looks people were giving to him, and quickly ran out of breath. He ended up in the middle of another square, sitting on the warm ground against stone, and rubbing his eyes to regain some clarity. The Force was flooding his senses in a way he only experienced once before. The abandoned Jedi Temple on Rhen Var made him feel all the snow in a mile radius distance, and now his senses were expanding and he could feel the essence of everyone in the village.

Oh, he hated this part. He felt himself floating in the Force, and when he opened his eyes he was in another place entirely.

“Actually, I'd hoped to have a family of my own by now. My sister has the most amazing wonderful kids...”

Luke turned around and put a face to the voice. A young woman in an expensive dress walked past him, chatting politely with someone. Her voice was very familiar, but he didn't know who this was. 

Luke stood up and followed her, knowing this wasn't real. She was walking next to a tall man who was carrying bags. “But when the Queen asked me to serve as Senator I couldn't refuse her.” she said.

The man spoke. “I agree with her. I think the Republic needs you.”

Luke froze. He walked faster to catch up with them, and looked at the man in the face. Darth Vader looked so much younger than Luke currently was. He had a frown in his face, and he was weighing his next words carefully. “I'm glad that you chose to serve.”

Luke followed them into a Palace. They were chatting quietly as any acquaintances would after not seeing each other for a while, except something felt odd in the air. He was clearly in the past again, but he didn't understand why Vader was so shy. He had seen him as a twelve year old boy— and he used to be enthusiastic and bubbly. The man in front of him was anything but bubbly. 

Vader wasn't himself. He wore his face, had his voice, but any traces or the man he knew as Vader were gone. The Darth Vader he met carried tension in his bones as well as his words, but this guy's voice was melodic, soft, without a care in the world.

The woman, on the other hand, looked royal and her clothes were expensive. She walked with her head high, exuding an air of calm confidence, and Luke couldn’t help but wanting to get to know her better. She led the way around the Palace, pointing at paintings and explaining who each person was and what they did for Naboo. Her knowledge bordered on encyclopaedic, and Luke was in trance. He could listen to her forever, and he couldn’t stop thinking that he had seen this young woman before. 

Visions didn't last long, and Vader hadn't felt him this time. Back when he was twelve, they actually managed to break the fabric of time and communicate through the Force. Maybe now they could do the same, but Vader’s attention was only focused on the young woman. Luke might as well have ignited his lightsaber in front of Vader and the man would pay the strange disturbance in the Force no attention. 

The three of them were walking up the stairs in the Palace, covered with an expensive red rug, and Luke had to stop. The Force didn't allow him to go any further, and when he blinked again he was back in his time.

The ground was still warm under him, and the sun made his dark clothes burn. He looked at the sky and rubbed his eyes, feeling the dizziness going away. 

The villagers hadn't moved, but the Force vision felt like a few hours. A memory that wasn't his, from decades ago, had been compressed into a few seconds in time. Luke wished Vader was around to explain— who was that woman, and what did Luke have to do with any of this?

He felt eyes on him, and when his eyes got used to the bright light, he saw the little girl from before was sitting in front of him. Her legs were crossed and her knees were filled with band aids, and she looked at him without blinking. He was still too sensitive in the Force, but he felt another presence next to him. It was barely there, like a passing light in a long dark corridor.

The little girl spoke. “Are you okay, sir? I know how you feel. The lake water is bad for you.”

“What lake water?” asked Luke. He was so tired, but he wouldn’t take it out on a child.

The girl frowned. “The lake water. I can’t speak about this but I understand you. What's your name?”

Luke shook his head slowly, unsure how to proceed. “Ben.”

“Lying is bad.”

Luke raised an eyebrow and shook his head in disbelief, looking around. The situation didn’t look good for him, and he should probably leave before he was arrested for talking to children he didn’t know. He stretched his arms and legs out with a yawn, and the girl watched him curiously like a Tooka. 

He stood up and moved to sit on the speeder. “Look, it was nice talking to you but I have to–“ his voice faded out as the Force died on his words. In front of him was a statue, and as soon as his eyes landed out he felt himself getting pulled to it. It was the same magnetic pull that got him to that square in the first place. 

He jumped down from the speeder and walked closer to it, hypnotised, realizing he had the Force vision under the statue. He touched it and closed his eyes. It was warm under his touch, and it had stood there for decades. The warm breeze on the back of his neck felt like a strong wind, but he couldn't open his eyes, not yet. The Force wanted him there.

_When I was in level three, we used to come here for school retreat. See that island? We used to swim there every day._

The same young woman from before spoke inside his head. I _am not going to give into this. I'm not going to throw my life away._

_You really don't like politicians, do you?_

Vader's voice spoke again and Luke’s heart skipped a beat. _Jedi don't have nightmares._

_...I heard you._

The warmth of the statue burnt his skin lightly and he pulled away, opening his eyes and taking a step back. He could feel the eyeless statue staring at him.

“Who's this?!” he asked.

The little girl stood up with a sigh and walked closer. “The Queen.”

Luke frowned, rubbing his palms to get rid of the numbness. “The current Queen?”

“No, silly! An old Queen,” protested the girl, “She ruled before all of this...” she looked around to make sure nobody was listening, “Before the Empire. She was Queen here.”

Queen of Naboo. Why did the Force show him visions about the Queen of Naboo, and what did Darth Vader have to do with any of this?

“What was her name?” asked Luke.

The girl looked at the sky, stomping her feet on the floor, trying to remember. “Queen... Ani–Ami...Ami something...Amidala! Queen Amidala.” she smiled politely, proud of her knowledge.

“Queen Amidala...” whispered Luke. The name felt right on his lips, far too right. It scared him. He took a step back from the statue, just in case. The statue was a figure of a woman in a long dress with a complicated hairdo. It fit the description of the woman he saw in his vision.

The little girl spoke. “You shouldn't have drunk the lake water, Liar Ben. It makes you do weird things.”

Luke really wanted to leave before people physically dragged him away from the girl, but the lake water dilemma was bothering him. “What are you talking about? Did you drink the lake water too?”

The girl nodded quietly, ashamed. “Nana says this is why I'm like this...” she said, looking at the ground and then back at the statue, and pressed a hand on the same place where Luke had touched it. She closed her eyes, and Luke felt the same presence in the Force from before. It was barely present, but it was there: clear as day.

The girl's presence in the Force felt like a speeder with a broken engine trying to start. She opened her eyes and exhaled. “There's nothing here. But sometimes I feel things because of the lake water I drank…”

Luke sighed. “It's not because of the lake water.”

The girl looked up at him, eyes sparkling and brow furrowed in anger. “Yes it is! Nana says it's making me feel weird things! It's the lake water!”

Luke didn't want to intrude on strangers’ lives, but he had spent most of his childhood thinking he was strange and abnormal for feeling things the other kids didn’t. If it wasn't for Ben Kenobi who told him about the Force...

“It's not lake water,” said Luke calmly, “You’re not alone. There are others like you across the galaxy, me for example, and I haven't drunk any lake water. Just because your powers are rare it doesn't mean something's wrong with you.” 

The girl blinked. “There are more people?”

Luke considered finding the girl's grandmother and asking why she chose to lie and make the girl believe she was mad. But he understood. He didn't know if the grandmother knew about the Force, probably did considering her age and how popular Jedi were during the Republic, and having a Force-sensitive family member was dangerous now. If the Empire found out, they would take the girl away.

He sighed. This wasn't his business, and he didn't want to get too involved in this because his hands were tied. “There are other people like us, but right now the situation is a bit... difficult. People think we’re strange but there’s nothing wrong with us. I need you to remember that.”

The girl stared at him, breathing slowly, and nodded in understanding. “You’re like me? Do you have a Zeeka too?”

“A what?”

“A Zeeka! Look!” she said with urgency, and looked at the sky. Nothing happened, but then Luke felt a breeze through the Force, and a small bird landed on the girl's shoulder. Its fur was a green emerald shade and Luke could swear the bird was more intelligent than it looked. 

He had seen that bird before. It was sitting on top of a roof after he heard his name through the Force. His real name. Luke wanted to laugh: there were so many things he had yet to discover in the galaxy. 

“This is Zeeka. She speaks to me,” explained the girl enthusiastically, “and comes if I ask for her.”

Luke smiled. “Nice to meet you Zeeka.”

The bird tilted her head curiously at him, and Luke shivered. The Force was a small hurricane around the little girl and her bird, and Luke knew he had to leave now. The bird didn't like him.

“Thank you, but I have to go,” he said, and sat on the speeder, starting the engine, “Do you know where’s the closest village from here going South?”

The girl blinked. “Zeeka says he didn't go there.”

Luke paled. 

The girl was braiding her hair back, hair tie in her mouth. “A tall scary man, looks like he hasn't slept all week? Zeeka says he didn't go South.” she mumbled calmly. The bird tilted her head again, squinting her small grey eyes at Luke.

He wanted to scream. “Does Zeeka know where he went? Was he alright?”

The girl stopped braiding her hair and her eyes widened in realisation. The hurricane that was Zeeka in the Force was accelerating. “Oh I see,” she laughed loudly, coming close to tears, “Do they know? They don't?” she laughed again, and the bird blinked a few times. “Can I pleeaase tell him?”

“Tell me what?”

The girl clicked her tongue. “Sorry, Zeeka says I can't...It's important for you not to know this yet. If I said it now it...Oh. I don't know what she's talking about, but Zeeka says your–,” she laughed, “Your friend went to the East and he seemed alright.”

She finished braiding her hair and exhaled, letting her arms fall on her sides from exhaustion. 

Luke frowned. “Right...” he said suspiciously, “Well, thank you for your help. If anybody asks I was never here, and can you do me a favour?” The girl just stared blankly at him, and the bird moved her wings to scare him away. “We know it’s not the lake water, but it will be better for you and for your Nana if the village thinks it is,” he said, almost apologising, “I know it's–“

The girl interrupted. “Don't worry, Liar Ben. Go find your f– your friend.” she answered with a mischievous smile, still laughing, and Luke knew that she was hiding something from him. The bird stared at him with icy grey eyes and the Force told him to leave. The bird was protective of the girl, and the bond they shared in the Force was powerful. 

“Alright,” said Luke, adjusting the speeder’s velocity to prepare for another journey across the woods. The girl walked away with the bird still on her shoulder, who did a 180 degree turn to glare him. “Take care!”

The girl waved him goodbye. “You too Mr Skywalker!” she exclaimed, running back to reunite with her friends, the bird flying next to her.

Luke stopped smiling. He thought he knew some things about the Force, but each day that passed he discovered new things. Prophetical birds— Luke couldn't wait to tell Vader about this. 

As strange as the bird was, he was grateful for the information. He took the speeder and left the village, still feeling some tendrils from the statue telling him to come back.

Meanwhile, in Theed's black market, a group of people waited for instructions. A ship was waiting for them, and the relief could be felt through the Force. They wanted to leave the planet as soon as possible.

_You too Mr Skywalker!_

Vader turned around abruptly, his heart beating in his ears. He looked around the narrow streets, trying to place the voice, but there was no one. He left the alley and peeked into the main street. Some people of different species glared at him, clearly uncomfortable with direct eye contact, and went back to their businesses. The rule in the black market was not to interact unless strictly necessary.

He went back to the alley and people of all ages and species looked at him. Some people nodded, not making eye contact. Vader clenched his jaw. “I wish you a safe trip,“ A little boy ran towards him and hugged his knees, muttering their Thank You’s. Vader crouched to look at the child, who wasn’t any older than six. He let out a small smile to comfort the little boy. “Are you alone?” he asked cautiously.

The child shook his head, and a woman holding a baby pushed past the crowd to gather the boy back, and muttered her apologies. The people boarded the transport ship carrying some bags, some nothing, and the Force felt like a long exhale. The ship left, and Vader pulled his hood up, disappearing into the dark alley. 


	23. The Difference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for typical canon violence

For the first time in years, Firmus Piett had nothing to do. His hands itched to get back to work, but there was little to do on an imperial outpost in Naboo, of all places. The outpost was a small administration tower in the middle of the woods, with a landing platform and a suspiciously big medbay. Stormtroopers pretended to be on patrol duty, and Piett had already talked to most of the officers, who were thrilled to have The Executor's Admiral with them. Nobody was really sure what Piett was doing there, but they didn't ask. 

They knew who Piett worked for. 

It was eight in the afternoon and if things went well— or rather, did not— he would have to send reinforcements by midnight. He had already planned them, and the squadrons were just waiting for the order.

Piett realised he missed the Commander’s stories and how the boy followed him around when they both had work to do. Piett even missed having Darth Vader in the same building. He stood up with a long sigh and walked towards the window. The path to the outpost through the woods was illuminated by streetlights that looked out of place in Naboo's vegetation. 

Piett sighed again and took his commlink at hand, wanting to talk to the Commander. Perhaps he needed back-up now, or maybe he was on his way back already. 

Starkiller picked up. “Yes, Firmus?” he asked. The connection was poor and the static made it nearly impossible to hear him.

“Where are you?” 

“I'm not really sure. It's all just woods here.” he laughed.

“You haven't managed to locate Lord Vader, I take it.”

“No, but I think I know where he went. A villager said she saw him going somewhere East so–“

“You have spoken to civilians?”

The Commander laughed through the comm, which came out as white noise. “Not exactly a civilian, no. Did you know that there are Force-sensitive birds?”

Piett blinked. “Ah, no. I hope you didn't decide to bring it with you.” He had enough with two Force-sensitives around. Piett certainly couldn't deal with a bird now.

“No, I think she didn't like m– sorr– Can you hear me?” 

“Not very well. Are you planning to come back for the night? Naboo is a peaceful planet but the current circumstances might be dangerous for you.”

“I–will find him, tonight–“

Piett exhaled. “If you don't come back by midnight, I will send back-up your way.”

“Yeah yeah, it won't get to that!” exclaimed Luke over the wind, “Sorry I have to–“

The comm line was white noise now.

**11 PM — THE WOODS** ****

Luke was on his way to the nearest town from Theed, again having to go through the woods. The sun had already set and he was following the set of street lights around the path through the high trees. The speeder he took would get him to the village in a matter of minutes. If he didn't find Vader before midnight, he would have to go back to the outpost. 

A ship flew above him and he drove into the woods, left the speeder and crouched down to hide behind a large tree. It landed in the path he was in, and a couple of people stepped out.

Luke peeked out to look. It was a rebel transport ship, but he didn’t recognise any of the people. He hadn’t set foot in the Rebellion for almost a year, but he should be able to recognise at least someone. Even the blasters they had weren't legal in the Alliance. 

“GET MOVING!” shouted a man.

Luke didn't know who it was. He saw the group of people walking towards him, and Luke hid even further in the darkness. He sensed something in the Force but ignored it because he was trying not to be seen. He counted over twenty armed people— he couldn't take them out alone. 

“The preparations in the Colonies are going well,” said a man, “We only have Imperial Centre left and then it’s done. Count the days boys!” Everyone cheered. “It shouldn't be hard to–“ he said, and then Luke's comm beeped loudly, “Did you hear that?”

Luke shut his eyes and deactivated his comm quickly. 

“Yeah, came from the woods.”

Luke cursed under his breath, trying to breathe slowly. He heard the distinguishing sound of blasters being re-charged, and footsteps coming his way. He turned to the Force and thought of an escape plan. He couldn't take them out on his own, and he knew the Insurrection knew who he was: he worked by Vader's side. Darth Vader: the man they wanted dead.

The presences were getting closer to him, and Luke held his lightsaber in his hands as if his life depended on it. He could go up into the trees, but they had a ship and could follow him. Luke knew the Insurrection didn't have any concerns about blowing up an entire forest, even if Naboo was a peaceful planet.

“Whoever you are: come out, we just want to talk.” 

Luke shut his eyes. The steps were getting closer. He took a deep breath and allowed the Force to energise him, and he focused on not getting distracted. Yesterday Vader said distractions were often lethal. He stood up, and appeared in sight, still standing close to the tree.

He saw the faces clearly now, and he didn't recognise anyone. People had their hands on their blasters, but nobody was pointing any weapons at him, yet.

“Identify yourself.” said a man. He had several scars on his cheek and was going bald. His clothes weren't imperial issued nor standard rebel uniform, yet his presence was commandeering and he stood in front of the group.

Luke raised his arms and took a moment to scan them through the Force. They were suspicious of him. “I'm running from the Empire, please don’t hurt me.” he lied.

A smaller man moved through the crowd to whisper something in the man’s ear, and his expression changed. He pointed a blaster at him. “You work for him.”

Luke raised his eyebrows. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he said calmly, challenging his inner Leia voice, “I'm on the run from the Empire and was just passing by, I thought you were troopers that’s why I hid. Please don't hurt me.”

The man squirmed. “Liar. You're a spy!” he spat venomously.

Luke huffed. “And you're not?” he asked, smiling.

Wrong thing to say. More blasters pointed at him. “You know where Darth Vader is. Take us to him and you'll walk out alive.”

Luke laughed. Maybe it was anxiety, or maybe it was the ridiculousness of the situation. “Trust me, I wish I knew where he was.” 

“You're lying.”

“You'd be surprised, but I really have no idea where he is. I know where he will go, though.” he said, testing the waters. The suspicion in the Force turned to curiosity.

The man urged him to continue talking. 

“There's an imperial outpost up North from here. He should be there any minute now.” he explained calmly, making it up as he went, “It's a few hours by foot, but in a ship you'd be there in about ten minutes.”

The group whispered between them, but the leader paid them no attention. “Come with us, then. If you're lying, you're dead.”

Luke shrugged calmly, challenging a mix of Leia's maturity and Han's confidence. He took a step forward, and the blasters pointed at him again. He wasn't as much of a threat as they considered him to be. 

He wasn't Vader.

Speaking of the man, Luke really wished he was there right now. He would know what to do, what questions to ask, how to fight in case the tension escalated. He would give some information to gain their trust and would pay attention to all the details the Force would give him.

Vader would know what to do. 

Luke sighed.

Wait.

He _knew_ what Vader would do, so he just had to follow his steps. Luke took a deep breath and tried to remember what Vader told him: not to get distracted by emotions, because everything could be over in just one second.

The Force was calm: the group trusted him. Good. “Are we leaving or do you want to stay here and wait for Darth Vader?” asked Luke.

A group of people took him by the arm and dragged him. They took his lightsaber and his blaster and examined it curiously. “You're a Sith too?”

Luke frowned. “No? How do you know what a Sith is?” he asked, and then remembered. They had the Emperor kidnapped, and from the stories he heard about the man, they definitely had to know he was a Sith Lord. Maybe they expected Darth Vader to be the same, if not worse. 

“Whatever, this is worth thousands in the market.”

Luke rolled his eyes. _As if._

They walked for a long time, holding Luke as a prisoner, and he decided to humor them. “The weather's nice. You ever been to Naboo before?” he asked politely.

Someone from the crowd answered cheerfully. “Yeah, we've been station–“ she started, and then coughed. “No.”

Luke fake-laughed. They had more bases on Naboo; noted. 

“Quiet.” spat the man.

“Where are we going?” asked Luke, “The imperial outpost is the other way.” he protested.

The crowd stopped and Luke felt their fear through the Force, and the leader turned around and slapped him. His brief pain and surprise casted an echo through the Force. Luke closed his eyes and suppressed a smile because he was counting the minutes until midnight. 

“I said, _quiet._ Don't say a word if you want to keep your head, is that clear?”

Luke nodded, his face burning red. They continued walking in silence, people discussing ships and weapons but not giving out any valuable information. The Force was a beeping red alarm, and Luke couldn't understand why.

His comm beeped again, and the leader stopped to answer it. Luke heard Piett's voice on the other end of the line. "Sending squadrons your way, Commander. Answer if they are not needed."

Luke swallowed anxiously, face reddening even further from fear. The man put the commlink in front of him, and ignited Luke's lightsaber to hold it close to Luke’s neck. “Answer.” he mouthed.

Luke was uncomfortable with the lightsaber being so close to him. “Not necessary, Firmus. He's fine and well.” he said harshly. “What time is it?”

“Ten to midnight.”

“I think you should stick to what you had planned for midnight.”

Piett was silent for a few seconds. “Very well, come back as soon as possible.” he said in a serious tone of voice, and Luke prayed that Piett had understood the message. He needed the reinforcements right _now_.

“Will do, thanks.” answered Luke sadly, looking between the lightsaber, the commlink and the man. The man squinted and deactivated the commlink, throwing it to the ground and stepping on it. He scanned Luke's face up and down, and Luke looked away. 

“Midnight?” threatened the man with a whisper. “What happens at midnight?”

“A new day starts. You don't know how days work?” whispered Luke. The lightsaber was still too close to his neck, and he moved a bit further away but crashed against the person holding him.

“All you do is lie. I see why you work for Darth Vader,” spat the man, and Luke didn’t answer. If only they knew that Vader hated liars. The man addressed a couple people behind him. “Take him somewhere quiet and get rid of him.”

Luke paled. This wasn't going the way he planned. He had to think fast. What would Vader do? If Vader was here, all these men would be dead. He would never let the situation escalate to this point.

Luke took a deep breath and focused on the Force. People were distracted at the new order, and he took that opportunity to hit his head against the person holding him, then crouch to the ground, kick the leader in the stomach and put some distance.

He summoned his lightsaber to his hand and held it in front of him for protection. The white blade cast light to his bruised face, and his eyes sparkled with concentration. The Force was lifting him, just as Vader said it would.

“Blast him!” shouted the leader angrily, and all blasters pointed at Luke. 

Luke closed his eyes and felt the Force flowing through him. He blocked the people’s thoughts and focused only on the energy coming from each blast, and when he opened his eyes, he had deflected one, two, three back into the crowd. People moved to avoid being hit, and Luke walked backwards while struggling to keep deflecting.

There were over twenty people blasting at him, and yet his actions seemed automatic. The Force guided him, and he managed to deflect five blasts into the crowd, effectively hitting some people. He didn't allow himself to think or worry: any distraction, and it would get worse.

The insurrectionists tried surrounding him but Luke kept running backwards, all while deflecting blasts. In the few seconds he had of free time he used the Force to make the blasters fly into the air, leaving some of them disarmed.

“Does Darth Vader know you're a Jedi?” shouted the leader, “You should be dead! You're just a child! This is beyond you!”

Luke disarmed the leader too, and the man took a step back, afraid. “Surrender if you know what's best for you.” he said.

“What's best for me?! Who cares about me! This is bigger than any of us, child! Vader and you are on our way!” shouted the leader.

Luke frowned and wanted to answer to keep the man talking, but the Force screeched in his ears, warning him of danger. A blast hit his shoulder and he fell to the ground, lightsaber deactivating and rolling towards the man.

Luke didn't feel any pain or blood, he was just paralyzed. He realised that they still had his blaster, which was usually set to stun-mode. He could still use the Force though. 

Some blasters were sent flying away but not too far to disarm them, and Luke closed his eyes. His entire body felt numb, and yet the Force reeked of danger. 

The leader picked up his lightsaber and turned it around, examining it curiously. He ignited it and nodded. “This is a powerful weapon. You shouldn't have it, it's not a toy.” The man crouched to lift his chin up, and Luke clenched his jaw in anger.

“Anything you want me to tell Darth Vader?” asked the man, fake-smiling. Luke saw that the man suddenly stopped smiling, and took a step back from him, staring at something behind Luke.

“Who the hell are you?” exclaimed the man. In a matter of seconds he fell unconscious to the ground, and Luke's activated lightsaber flew towards another source. With a Force wave, the insurrectionists flew backwards and landed on their backs, some falling unconscious and others trying to get up and run.

The Force was a beeping red alarm. In a village far away, the little girl looked up from her book to stare at the wall and shiver at the worry she felt in the Force. 

Luke's eyes were closing from exhaustion, but the shadow ran towards him and held him up to sitting position. The shadow unconsciously created a bubble through the Force to keep Luke safe. “Are you _alright_ _?_ ” the shadow asked urgently, his hands shaking. His eyes were darting all over the place, and he was out of breath, and put a warm hand on his neck to search for a pulse. As soon as his ungloved hand touched his skin, Luke shivered. 

Luke couldn't speak yet, but he knew he didn't need to. He could recognize the shadow in the darkest places of the Force, and right now, the shadow was shaking. _Never been better._ said Luke through the Force.

Vader exhaled deeply, his arms still shaking from worry and holding Luke's torso on his lap. “Are they from the ins–“

Luke opened his eyes slightly, and saw that Vader's eyes were blue. The protective bubble through the Force was unconsciously healing him and muting all the sounds from the outside world. 

_They are._

Vader's expression became determined, and he carefully put Luke back to the ground. The following minutes Luke just saw a blurry mess of people running towards the trees, levitating and being crushed to the ground. He saw white, yellow, green and red lights and his body was finally getting some movement back. The bubble was healing him, even if Luke didn’t how that was even possible. A couple blasts tried to hit him, but they reached the invisible shield and died out. 

Vader ran back towards him, hands shaking and out of breath, wheezing slightly from the physical exhaustion. He felt someone moving and reaching for their blaster to shoot, and then the protective bubble disappeared and all the blasts flew back to the crowd. With a wave of his hand Vader disarmed them quickly and made them fall back to unconsciousness. 

“How bad is it?” asked Vader urgently, helping Luke sit and taking his face into his hands and closing his eyes. 

Luke still couldn't speak, but he felt the Force clearer than ever. _I’m_ _fine._

Vader was still panting, and without looking he shot back at someone who was trying to get up. “I should not have left you to roam these woods alone.” he whispered, lips trembling. Vader closed his eyes and placed his flesh hand on Luke's front. He felt the Force flow through them like water on a moving plate; left to right, right to left. He could move a few seconds later, and he sat up without Vader's help.

Vader looked like he just escaped hungry banthas. His eyes were sparkling with something Luke didn't recognise, maybe it was tears, but they were the clearest shade of blue, much like Luke's own. 

“What happened?” asked Vader, out of breath, still holding him in case Luke fell to the ground. He had both arms on his shoulders. 

“Insurrectionists,” mumbled Luke as his tongue was still numb, and sighed in defeat. “Got captured accidentally, they knew who I was and it didn't go really well.”

Vader nodded in concern, stood up and called Piett. At that moment they saw someone reaching for their blaster, and Luke wanted to alert Vader, but Vader waved his hand in that direction and the person fell unconscious. “Admiral. Back-up to our location, now.”

“On our way already, Lord Vader.”

Vader frowned and looked at Luke. “Who gave you the order?”

“Commander Starkiller.”

Luke exhaled in relief, wanting to cry. Piett got the message. He breathed in and out, and looked at the crowd. The Force felt numb, and there was only Vader's clouded distress and adrenaline and worry towards Luke.

Luke tried to count the bodies on the floor.

Vader had taken down over twenty people in a minute. Most of them were still breathing which surprised Luke. The man wasn't known for sparing anyone. He heard worse being done to people that angered Vader, but this Vader wasn't angry— he was worried. 

As soon as Vader stopped talking to Piett, he turned back to Luke and crouched in front of him, reaching out his hand to cup one side of his face: the part that got slapped and was burning red. Vader's icy blue eyes met his, and Luke understood the question.

“The leader of the squadron didn't like me very much.”

Vader interrupted, and his expression became emotionless, even if through the Force he was still clouded with worry. “Dead?” he asked icily. Luke managed to turn his head again towards the crowd, and saw the man lying on the floor. He was unconscious.

“No, but–“

Vader let Luke go, stood up and ignited his lightsaber, but Luke spoke. “Stop it, it's not worth it.”

Vader looked down at him, breath heaving up and down in fear. Luke's exhaustion was apparent in his face: there had already been enough damage done.

 _Please._ said Luke through the Force. He didn’t want Vader to kill anyone, let alone on command. He didn't even realise that he had that power over him until now.

Vader took a few breaths and deactivated his lightsaber, and sat in front of Luke, looking at the ground and rubbing his eyes. He let out a long sigh and Luke was hit with all the emotions through the Force.

There was so much worry and guilt.

“Where have you been? I looked under every rock for you.” asked Luke.

Vader looked at him. “Non-imperial business. I was expecting to come back to the outpost before midnight. What have they done to you?”

“Nothing! Most of them are still alive and if we take them to interrogation they will talk. I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Vader could care less about what they would do with those people right now. He was on his way back to the imperial outpost when he felt a disturbance in the Force that came from the boy. They were so attuned to each other that he could have recognised his Force presence anywhere. He tried talking to him, but the boy seemed to have closed himself off from exterior influences. When Vader felt an adrenaline that wasn’t his, he almost broke the speeder by going at full speed. When he reached the woods, he was surprised. But his surprise didn't last long when he saw that the Force was a ticking bomb. 

Luke spoke through the Force, massaging his face so his muscles would wake up. Vader took away most of the damage but he still felt numb. _They recognised me and told me to bring them to you. I was buying some time because Piett was already on his way so–_

“How?” asked Vader. 

_I told him if I didn't come back by midnight to send back-up to my location. My commlink got crushed but he got the message._

Vader blinked a few times. That was incredibly smart of him, even if Vader still thought that both of them should have stayed in the imperial outpost. 

Luke looked at Vader again. His hands were still shaking, and there was one single black leather glove on the ground. Vader's ungloved hand was shaking ever so slightly. 

“Are you alright?” asked Luke.

Vader never liked this question. Being alright meant being in peace to him, and right now, he wasn't feeling peaceful. “You almost died. I promised you that that would not happen under my watch.” 

Luke couldn't deny that. _But I haven't died though. You still kept that promise._ he said through the Force. He could move his torso around now, even if his legs still felt asleep. Luke placed a hand on Vader's shoulder and the Force made them both feel a shiver on their necks. They both had a feeling that they were missing something important, something crucial, yet they didn't know what.

“I'm alright, seriously.” said Luke, “Thanks for coming.” Vader cursed himself for even leaving in the first place. “You have to teach me that trick.”

“What trick?” asked Vader, exhausted.

“The Force push, or whatever it's called. You pushed them away without even paying attention.”

Vader didn't even remember doing that. The moment he saw the boy on the ground his mind went blank and he acted on a strange instinct inside him. “A Force user can do wonders if they are focused.”

Luke knew what he was talking about. “Yeah, it worked! I managed to deflect all the shots for about five minutes!” he explained, proud of himself. “I blocked out the distractions and it worked!”

This wasn't what Vader meant. Luke stretched out his arms and summoned his lightsaber back to his hand, checking if it got damaged or had any cracks. Vader looked at him from the corner of his eye, and even with the adrenaline still in his veins he felt at peace and more focused than he had been in years.

**Northern Imperial Outpost; Medbay — 01:00 AM**

Luke rolled his eyes and leaned back to look at the ceiling, crossing his arms. “This is so unnecessary. The insurrection people need a medbay more than I do.” he protested for the third time.

Vader didn't care. He was sitting on a chair next to the medbay bed, legs crossed and leaning back, reading reports on a datapad. As soon as Luke mentioned the Insurrection, he looked at him again. “They _are_ receiving medical attention, if that is the cause of your concern.” answered Vader quietly, suppressing a yawn. The helmet was sitting on the floor next to his chair, and to Luke's surprise, Vader's eyes were still blue. Luke wanted to ask if there were any reasons, or if he changed the color deliberately, but he never found the courage to ask. Vader wasn't even aware of his constantly changing eye color.

He just harmed over twenty people, how was he so calm? Vader didn't look up from his datapad and just sat in silence. Luke was waiting for test results so he could leave, even if he insisted ten times that he didn’t need a medic. Vader didn't care, so there they were: Luke laying under several blankets in a comfortable bed, looking at the walls and bored, with Vader reading something.

“You know what?” asked Luke.

Vader answered without looking up. “Hm?” 

“They said something about Imperial Center being ‘the next’ and then it would all be over?” quoted Luke, confused.

Vader looked up. “What?”

“They were counting down the days for something. I don't know what.”

Vader stared at the ground. “There is nothing on Imperial Centre and nothing of importance coming up–“ he stopped. “Except Empire Day.”

Luke blinked. Empire Day was the only day of the year he hated and loved at the same time. “You can't just cancel Empire Day this year, can you?”

Vader seemed to think about it. “No. If it is not celebrated, the citizens will suspect something is amiss. The galaxy cannot learn of the Emperor’s disappearance. It would be chaos.”

Luke wanted to answer, but they both felt Piett’s presence walking towards the door. “Ah! Firmus come in!” exclaimed Luke before the man even reached the door. Piett opened the door and peeked inside politely, asking for permission again and tensing when he saw Vader unmasked.

Luke was happy to see him. “Thanks for coming. Any news?”

“Your results are in. You are in perfect health, Commander. Congratulations,” he said seriously, and then coughed. “I was wondering if we could address what happened in the woods.”

“You received my message, and I want to thank you for that,” said Luke, “I mean we knew it was dangerous. It had to happen sooner than later, right?”

Piett glanced at Vader, and Vader glanced back before continuing reading his datapad.

“Right?” repeated Luke, confused.

Piett fixed his posture and glanced again at Vader, not knowing if he was allowed to speak to him when the man was unmasked. “Lord Vader, the Commander has informed me of the threats on your life and I believe it is time to take additional security measures.”

Vader looked at him, eyebrows raised in curiosity, and put the datapad down. “Such as, Admiral?”

Piett took that as permission to look at him. Vader tilted his head, and it looked like he was challenging him to speak. 

Luke sighed. “He's saying you need extra security wherever you go.” 

“And you too, Commander.” added Piett. Wherever Vader went, Starkiller went too. It was starting to become the natural order of things, and Piett wasn't going to be the one to dispute that.

“Why me?” asked Luke. At that moment the door opened and a droid rolled in with the tea he requested. Luke smiled and nodded at the droid, and then realised that the droid wasn't human and didn't care about politeness. He thanked it anyway.

Piett waited until the droid left the room. “You were attacked today because they recognized you from working with Lord Vader. You are in as much danger as he is.”

“So, what additional security are you suggesting?” asked Luke.

“I'm afraid my offer is not one of the most traditional options available, but...” said Piett with a sigh. “You should lay low for a few weeks.”

Vader almost dropped the datapad to the floor. “No. I was willing to consider additional security but I do not accept your suggestion.” he protested with a frown, standing up and pacing around the wide room. He stopped next to the window at the end of the room. 

Piett looked at him, and tried not to think too much of how young the man looked, and how his posture reminded him of the boy. They were truly more alike than they thought. Piett had been working for Vader for over ten years now, and yet he didn’t unintentionally mimic his body language. Ben Starkiller was there for less than a year and they were acting as if they were related by blood.

Piett almost laughed at the idea. He hadn't slept in a long time and the delirium was kicking in. It had to be that. He looked at the boy in the bed, quietly finishing his tea, and their gazes met. Luke shrugged and they waited for Vader to speak.

“Admiral, you are aware of the previous attempts on my life. This is not any different.” said Vader.

Oh, but Piett knew the difference. The difference from the last attempts was laying in the medical bed, cupping the hot tea in his hands for warmth and yawning, struggling to keep his eyes open. The difference had a name and a surname, blue eyes and blond hair. Vader had changed since the boy arrived, not for better or for worse— but he was more distracted.

Piett of course said none of that out loud.

Vader spoke. “Your suggestion will be the last option. They must believe that nothing has changed so they can proceed with their plan.”

“What plan, my Lord?” asked Piett, confused.

“They are planning something on Imperial Centre soon. If they do not answer this in interrogation, activate all security protocols on the planet and double them for Empire Day.”

Piett nodded. “Yes, my Lord.”

Luke was watching the exchange quietly under several blankets. “I could lay low in the Outer Rim for a while, I don't mind–”

“No,” answered Vader immediately. “It is dangerous. You were on your own for less than twelve hours and almost got killed.”

Luke opened his mouth, genuinely offended. “No I didn't! I had it all under control!”

Piett looked at the ground, once again in awe at how many liberties Vader was giving the boy. 

“You most certainly did not. The answer is still no.” repeated Vader. If the Commander left, he would have to follow. He knew he wouldn't be able to get any job done knowing the boy was out there alone. He knew that he could defend himself, but he still needed training.

Luke sighed and leaned back on the bed, finishing all the tea in an angry gulp. It was one in the morning, all of them were exhausted, and he still needed to ask Vader where the hell he disappeared to.

Piett went back to the topic. “Any additional security you require now, my Lord?” 

“No Admiral, you can leave for the night.” answered Vader. Piett nodded and left the room, glad to finally get some rest. He had to be up by five in the morning any way, and he hoped that both Vader and the Commander were safe when that happened. 

Once the door closed, Luke spoke. “They want to kill you, so what? The entire Rebellion wants you dead. Why are you worried?” 

Vader paced slowly around the room, coming closer to the medical bed and standing at the end of it, looking at the ground. “Back on Rhen Var I warned you that this would happen."

Luke interrupted. “I know,” he whispered, “And I'm not afraid.”

Vader looked up. For a man that used fear to intimidate others, he carried fear in his heart and if he allowed it, it would eat him alive. He allowed it to consume him twenty-two years ago, and it hadn’t left him since, but the fear that used to be cold and harmful now was a warm fire that created life. “If you stay it will only get worse for you.” 

“I knew what I was signing up for, Lord Vader, and I don't care, I'm staying.” assured Luke, “Let’s get through Empire Day first, alright? Then we'll talk, but if it gets worse, will you consider Piett's suggestion?“

“No.”

Luke sighed. “I know a couple places that would be nice. I still want to go to Theed,” he said, knowing that Theed was a couple hours away, “We could go back to Tatooine–“

“No.”

“...feed some banthas?” suggested Luke, “Pay Jabba a visit?”

Vader snorted quietly and shook his head. Luke watched him with a small smile on his face as the man continued pacing around the room. 

“I also saw a Force-sensitive bird today.” announced Luke. Vader stopped. The last time he saw a bird connected to the Force was in Malachor after his duel with Ahsoka Tano.

He hoped this wasn't the case now.

“It was in a village going south, the bird was attached to this young girl and... she actually told me where to find you. They saw you there, Lord Vader.”

Vader remembered feeling a disturbance in the area, but he didn't think it would be a bird. 

Luke still had a question he wanted to ask. It haunted him all day, and he was sure it would haunt him for a long time. The Force wanted him to see Queen Amidala, and Vader knew her. Maybe she was the key to solving all their problems.

He had to ask.

“I had a vision...” said Luke slowly, testing the waters. “I felt the Force calling me to a statue, and it pulled me back in time again.” Vader stopped breathing, feeling a knot in his throat. “I saw Queen Amidala.”

The wind outside stopped blowing, and the light in the corridor snapped. The Force was ripping a hole in Vader's chest at the mention of her name. 

Luke felt Vader's shock, and considered his next words carefully. “I also saw you. You were both in the Royal Palace. Why did the Force show me that?”

Vader walked back towards the window, unconsciously wanting to leave the room and the planet and go hide in his meditation pod. The dark side never failed to soothe him— but he couldn't connect to it for over two months now. The dark side simply pushed him away. He barely scratched the surface these days. 

“I don't know." answered Vader. 

Luke nodded slowly, knowing that Vader couldn't see him anyway. “It was just talking, really. She seemed nice," he said slowly, paying attention to Vader's reactions, “Are you still in touch with her? Can I meet her?”

Vader shut his eyes and closed his fists, and took a deep breath. He raised his shields high in the Force, and screamed inside his head. He allowed all the pent-up frustrations from being on Naboo to leave his soul. 

“She died.” 

Luke's heart broke again. “I'm sorry.”

Just how many people has Vader lost in his life? He wasn't blind. There was clearly something going on between Queen Amidala and Vader, Luke recognised the looks they gave each other as the same Han and Leia gave each other in between all the arguing.

Luke remembered the only thing that Vader said about his personal life: he said he used to have a family. From his reaction to the Queen's name perhaps it started there. Luke didn't know, and he didn't want to intrude on painful subjects. “The villagers spoke kindly of her, said she was the best Queen Naboo has ever had.” 

Vader stared at the moon, and smiled sadly. “Indeed, she was.”

Luke felt a wave of attachment and love wash over the building and the woods, and he blinked in surprise. He knew that Vader was powerful, perhaps the most powerful Force-user in the galaxy, but so far nothing had caused such a reaction from him.

“I made a decision twenty years ago that caused her death,” confessed Vader slowly, “Not a day has gone by where I don't regret it.”

This was an understatement. Her presence haunted his mind in every waking hour. He had replayed that day's events for over twenty years, trying to see what could have gone differently. In all his sessions, he ended up even deeper in the dark side. 

Luke frowned. “You killed her?” he asked.

Vader clenched his jaw and looked at the sky. His memories of the first Empire Day were blurry, but he remembered that moment on Mustafar with alarming clarity. His hands still shook whenever he remembered his rage towards her. A rage that was misplaced, he realised several years later, when it was already too late to change the past.

Vader answered. “I believe I did. I harmed her badly but I didn't believe her dead back then. A few days later the Emperor told me she died, and the b–“

The baby.

No, he wouldn't go there.

He closed his eyes and forced his hands to stop shaking. He hadn't spoken to anybody about it in over twenty years. Whenever he thought about that day, his memory faded to black after his duel with Obi-Wan. The next thing he remembered was waking up in an imperial medbay, confined to a helmet and an artificial respirator for the next year. He survived, she didn't— and he wished their fates had been different. He would gladly give up his life if she could live. But it was too late now, and it was all his fault.

He looked at the ground, and something caught his attention in the Force. It was swirling strangely in the room, like a warm breeze that electrified the air. 

The last time he thought about the child was on Rhen Var, and that planet was haunted by the Force so he didn't pay much attention to what it could possibly mean. Now, however, he was actively thinking about Padmé and the last memory he had of her: heavily pregnant. His memory of her usually faded to black in his mind, but now he felt a small bright pulse that wasn't his own.

Vader had revisited the memory thousands of times and he had memorised all the sensations: his own raging heartbeat, Obi-Wan's worry and Padmé's fear. 

The shining bright light was never there before. 

Vader concentrated and wanted to see which new illusion the Force had in store for him, and he followed the pulse to its source. He passed Luke's presence in the Force, shining brightly and beating next to his, and continued searching. The Force was empty now, it was only them, and the source was hard to track down. 

Vader sighed, and closed the chest of memories he hated opening. “We go back to the Executor at 5 AM. Get some rest.” he said, putting on his helmet and leaving the room. He urgently needed to meditate on the memory and find what caused his perceptions to change. The strange swirling in the Force followed him out of the room.

Luke was staring at the wall on the other side of the room, and didn't even notice Vader leaving. He wasn't breathing, and his mouth was slightly open. The Force was whispering his father's name at him again, and Luke clung onto the voice and followed it to its source. 

The source was his own self; a part of him hidden in the Force that he didn't even know existed, and a new bond with someone began to form. It felt like running on a treadmill trying to reach someone who was on a speeder. Before Luke thought he could grab the bond, the string weakened and snapped in half.

Perhaps the Force knew what happened to his father, and maybe this was its way of communicating it. When Luke snapped out of his trance, he saw that there wasn't anybody else in the room, perhaps even on the entire floor, and Vader had left.

He took a deep breath, stretched out, and quickly fell asleep to a voice that sounded far too similar to Queen Amidala’s. On the other side of the building, Vader allowed himself to think that perhaps he missed something important about Padmé's death, and it was staring at him in the face but when he tried to reach it, it was gone. 

When the moon appeared from the clouds, the light shone on a small green bird sitting on top of the building. She slowly opened her eyes and flew away into the horizon, her eyes shining brightly with a blue light. Her job there was done— she had mended the Force to her will and soon everything would fall into place. The last Skywalkers needed to realise that not all hope was lost, that they were always meant to meet and bring peace to the galaxy, because the Force depended on them, and they on each other.


	24. A Piece Of Us

**“come, let's burn our hearts with the cold beauty of the moon”**

The ashes of the string shone with desperate brightness that no one could see. It appeared and snapped in two, still too weak to stand on its own, but its ashes were still active. 

Vader couldn't stop thinking about those few seconds where he felt a small pulse in his memories of Mustafar. The Force felt like a wall of fog, protective or whoever was on the other side of it. Vader could almost reach out across the wall to see the answers he sought, but the Force was too cloudy. It pushed him away.

Luke hadn't talked much since they left Naboo. His mind was still on that imperial outpost where someone's presence called out to him. The rest was a blur of memories and echoes, and then the Force left him alone. He couldn't reach out again to tug at the string, but it still felt warm to his touch. As if whoever or whatever was on the other side of it was tugging too— sending the warmth of a human hand across the fabric.

The Empire was a new type of silence. Vader hardly ever left his personal quarters, and whenever he did, he was alert. Luke followed him around mainly for protection but also because the man understood him. They were both extremely powerful in the Force, if anyone could understand the strange echoes and shadows Luke felt inside his soul, it would be Vader. 

He noticed the man was absent too. Not only did he have a constant death threat from the people in the ship, but his presence in the Force was guarded. As if he had locked himself in a room to meditate on something, but he always left the door slightly open. 

Piett on the other hand was terrified. He considered himself made of steel since he had been working under Vader for over ten years in the heart of the Empire, but the ship didn't feel the same anymore. People weren’t kind or cheerful, but they used to speak to each other and even lower their defences when they were off duty. Now everyone avoided each other, didn’t make eye contact, and spoke only when strictly necessary. 

Luke stared at the stars on the viewport, hands clasped behind his back. “Any news on the ISB?” he asked with a sigh.

“Nothing out of the ordinary intercepted in Hutt space,” read Piett out loud, and then put the datapad down to look at him.

Luke's posture was stiff as he continued staring at the stars. Piett allowed himself to wonder about the young man again: there were rumours about his identity on the ship— that he was an intelligence officer working for Vader, that he was a trained inquisitor and was there for additional protection...

The worst rumour was inside Piett's mind. Nobody suspected the eerie similarities between Lord Vader and Commander Starkiller— but Piett was one of the few people in the entire galaxy that knew how Darth Vader looked like behind the mask, and he saw Ben Starkiller's blond head every day. At first Piett thought _brothers_ , but the age gap was too wide. Then he thought _cousins_ , but he couldn’t see Vader interacting with extended family members. If he even had family.

His main theory scared him so much that he was afraid of thinking about it in case they heard his thoughts with the Force. Piett thought _father and son_ , and his muscles twitched whenever he thought about it. He suspected they weren’t aware of it either, but how could the two most powerful people in the galaxy with magical powers not see the resemblance? Piett didn't dare to look at unmasked Vader for longer than necessary, but it was in the clench of the jaw, the shape of the eyes, the hair. Then he looked at Ben Starkiller and saw the same. He didn't understand how they could spend so much time in each other’s company and not wonder. 

In Piett's eyes, the resemblance was also when Starkiller and Vader were in a room filled with other people and would still be glued to each other's side. Or in the rare moments that the three of them were together in one room, how they only spoke out loud to Piett but maintained silent dialogues with each other through the Force. 

Piett had served under Vader for over a decade now, and he used to consider himself the closest person there was to Lord Vader. 

Until now.

The rumours were only growing and he was afraid they might reach Vader someday. Piett kept his thoughts to himself, and dismissed his theories as being nosy. He knew almost nothing about Darth Vader other than he was younger than him and conventionally an attractive man, if not for the way his posture spoke authority. Then there was Ben Starkiller, and what could Piett say about him? The crew adored him as well as feared him since he was always by Vader’s side— and no one knew why Starkiller remained there or how could Darth Vader, the scariest droid in the galaxy, tolerate Starkiller's kindness.

Luke turned around fast and walked towards him, a lost gaze in his eyes. “I'm worried about him, Firmus. Something has been bothering him since we left Naboo.”

“Other than the death threat?”

Luke raised his eyebrows, as if he had forgotten about that one. “Other than the death threat, yes. I don't think he’s even aware that Empire Day is coming.”

“You don't know what he's thinking?” suggested Piett.

Luke laughed softly. “We don't read minds. We sense emotions, and he's worried…Do you think you'll be able to keep the ship stable if we leave?”

Piett's heart skipped a beat. 

Luke noticed. “For a few days only. Safety is a priority now and Lord Vader hasn't left his rooms since we arrived from Naboo.”

Piett thought that was odd. Lord Vader was under constant danger because of his position in the Empire, and he didn't see the man as the hiding type. 

“He's not hiding,” said Luke, “Something is worrying him. I think we need to get out of here for a while, but I'm not gonna suggest that if it puts more work on you.”

Piett had dealt with Vader leaving for days without any warning on Force duty. He was thankful for the warning now. “It's alright, go. But do not make your leave public: you might be followed, and also Lord Vader will not leave the ship unless you make up a believable story.”

Luke smiled. “Don't worry about it.”

**A DAY LATER**

The Outer Rim occupied a large space of the galaxy and yet there were some astronomical objects that remained unexplored. Luke had opened the holomap and randomly chosen a small uninhabited planet with a breathable climate. They dropped out of hyperspace minutes ago, and Vader just stared at the small white planet in front of them. It had a thin asteroid belt surrounding it, spinning slowly.

“This is where you wanted to meditate?” asked Vader, his voice cracking. “The planet is dead.”

Luke knew that. The Force felt null around the planet and he suspected it would be the same once they landed. “I've heard stories about it. A friend of mine crash landed here a few years ago and said he had never seen a more desolate looking planet in the entire galaxy.”

Vader looked at him, confused. “And from all the planets you could have chosen, you chose this?” he asked, “Very well, have it your way.”

Vader could easily pass through the asteroid belt, but before he could even try, the asteroids moved out of their way, surrounding the ship and granting them passage. 

“Are you doing that?” asked Luke.

“No, are you?”

The landing was surprisingly easy, considering the planet’s adverse climate to any visitors. They landed on a field covered in plain rock near a forest, and the few vegetation that existed survived on rain. The woods had tall trees that clouded the sky, only allowing some streaks of light to pour through. 

“I know you did not come here to meditate.”

Luke stopped. “I wanted to get out of the Executor. _You,_ out of the Executor.”

“Why?”

“It's dangerous,” said Luke simply, “And I can feel your worry as if it was my own. Something has been bothering you since Naboo and a change of scenery will do you good, that's what my aunt used to say.”

If only Starkiller knew that what was bothering him couldn't be solved, but Vader appreciated the honesty. “So your plan was coming here to do what exactly?”

Luke stopped on his tracks, hands on hips, and looked around. “I'm not really sure, if I’m honest. We could train? Practice other Force stuff? No schedules. We can sit on rocks all day if you want.”

Vader snorted and shook his head. 

“At least here you can walk around safely.” added Luke.

“I was not worried for _my_ safety on the Executor.” said Vader.

Luke frowned. “Then why were you worried?”

Vader didn't answer, and walked in front of him towards the small hill. He used the Force to jump on a boulder. “From up there we might get a good sight from the area,” he said, pointing at the top of the hill.

Luke put a hand over his eyes to look up. There might not be direct sun on the planet but the grey sky was bright. “Fine for me. See! We're already busy,” he said with fake enthusiasm, trying to climb the large boulder. Vader crouched down and extended a hand for Luke to climb up, and Luke took it. 

“I thought you knew how to make Force jumps. You executed them well in Rhen Var.” commented Vader. 

“Because I had no other choice: either I jumped or we would have stayed outside the cave.” 

Vader answered immediately. “This method works for you?”

Luke, upon realising what he did, stopped. “No, no. Lord Vader!” he called to him, but Vader kept walking, “It does _not_ work on me!”

It was already too late.

They reached the top of the hill and luckily Vader didn't make him use the Force to jump anywhere, instead just offering his hand whenever they needed to climb. The top of the hill was a narrow area that gave view to the woods below and the rocky terrain around it. The rest was clouded by fog. “I feel like we should put a flag in here or something.” said Luke.

“No one would find it.” replied Vader, looking around. Luke didn't sense any irritation coming from him, and his insecurity that he dragged Vader all the way to the Outer Rim disappeared. Darth Vader was a strange man, and Luke kept learning new things every day from him: now he apparently didn’t mind improvised escapades to rocky uninhabited planets in the Outer Rim.

“That is not the point of flags,” said Luke, stretching out and yawning. Up there it was slightly colder, and Luke regretted not bringing his winter coat from the ship. The air from his mouth was visible, and Luke just stared at it, unused to the cold.

“Isn't it?” asked Vader.

“The point of this flag would be to say: Hey! another planet that we've been on.” said Luke, and Vader realised that they had indeed been to lots of planets together. 

Luke touched the humid soil with his boots, testing its strength. “It would probably get swiped by the wind...but! it's the intention that counts. Someone in a few decades might crash here and find the flag too.”

Vader knew the boy wasn't being serious, but it made him smile nonetheless. He looked around again, and frowned when the Force called to him, but disappeared instantly.

Night settled in faster, and they stocked up the logs to make a campfire before heading back into the ship to spend the night. The temperatures had lowered considerably and the ship needed to warm up before they could get in. 

“Is there any way I could use the Force to create fire?” wondered Luke.

“Pyrokinesis is a rare ability, but you could try,” said Vader, sitting down opposite the stocked logs, “You have to heat up the air molecules together.”

“Can you do that?”

“No.”

Luke sat down and reached out into the Force. He felt Vader's presence close to his, a familiar and soothing feeling, and the Force slightly flowing across the planet. He tried picturing a fire, but nothing happened. 

Vader watched silently.

Luke touched the logs and dug even deeper into the Force. It started pulling him in different directions, and Luke chose the warmest one. He felt a small wave of heat passing through his fingers and landing on the logs, creating fire. At first it was barely visible, but then once Luke concentrated it grew into a large flame and resided into the shape Luke wanted.

Vader nodded. “Well done.” he praised. The boy kept mastering powers in just a few tries, when it took the old Jedi months. His power was unparalleled, except to Kenobi's, maybe even Skywalker’s.

Luke reached out towards the fire, slowly warming up. 

“The ship should be warm enough in a few minutes,” said Vader, shivering and scooting closer to the fire, “No more exploring for today.” 

Luke felt like a child being scolded for playing far too long with his friends and coming late for dinner. He looked at the man, and how his Force presence clouded Luke's with natural and instinctive worry. 

Vader spoke. “When I was younger I was sent on a mission to Orto Plutonia. We encountered a sentient species that did not speak Basic and we didn’t bring the interpreter either— so we communicated through symbols and hand-made illustrations,” he explained with a small smile, “It reminds me of this planet.”

“Why?”

“It is trying to say something, but we cannot understand it yet.”

Luke blinked. “A planet can't speak.” 

“Not _speak,_ but communicate. The Force flows through every sentient and non-sentient, alive or material thing in the galaxy. The Force merely redirects its messages and intentions through objects, like a domino. Now, it is this planet.”

Luke didn't feel any hostility through the Force. The planet wanted him there, but he didn't understand why it was pushing them away. 

“You have chosen the bleakest point in the Outer Rim to go camping,” said Vader, standing up. With a curl of a wrist, the fire died out into thin smoke. 

“You said you didn't know how to control fire.” pointed Luke out.

“If I said that I did, you would not have succeeded in making one.” replied Vader calmly. To Luke, the knowledge that Vader could burn up the entire forest if he wished was terrifying. But the man could also do worse, and yet he didn't. 

“Also I could have chosen Tatooine and we'd probably be in a worse situation than this.” protested Luke jokingly, standing up and following Vader into the ship.

Vader stopped midway and turned around. “I would have left you there.” he warned, pointing an accusing finger.

“No you wouldn't.”

Vader shook his head with a sigh, suppressing a smile. “Come on.” he gestured to Luke to get into the ship, a hand on his shoulder. The ramp retreated as the woods slipped back to darkness, the planet’s curiosity still fixed on Luke.

*** * ***

Next morning, earlier than dawn, Luke awoke with a startle. His senses were screaming at him to go outside, and at first he tried to ignore it, but they didn’t stop. He dressed quickly, grabbed a coat and left the ship quietly, careful not to wake Vader. 

Luke ignited his lightsaber and stepped outside. The hum of the weapon currently used as a torchlight echoed across the empty woods, and Luke slowly looked around. It was still dark and leaves were flying all over the place. The temperatures had dropped even more during the night, and the Force was pulling him towards the burnt logs they used to make a fire the night before. Luke walked towards it carefully, and touched them again, feeling a warmth that shouldn’t have been there. 

“What are you doing?” 

Luke didn't turn around. “Why can’t you feel it?”

“Feel what? Other than it’s freezing and the sun isn’t out yet, there’s nothing,” exclaimed Vader from inside of the ship, still half-asleep, “Come back inside!”

“No! I can't.” shouted Luke back at him across the wind. He needed to do something there, just didn't know what. Vader was by his side a few minutes later, standing grumpily next to him, arms crossed on himself, shaking from cold.

“Since we landed I've felt something… tugging at me, demanding my presence. It's here.” explained Luke over the wind, touching the logs.

Vader didn't feel anything out of the ordinary through the Force, but he trusted Luke. “Let's meditate, preferably inside the ship.” 

“No, I must do it here.”

Vader gave up. The faster they got through this the sooner they could go back inside. It was too early for this, even to Vader’s standards, but he hadn’t gotten a good night's sleep in weeks and he wanted to resume it. “Then start a fire if you can.”

Luke nodded, and concentrated on feeling the warmth and multiplying it by a tenfold. His senses sparkled, connecting to an energy below the ground. The warmth pulsed through his fingers, landing on the logs, but the Force still called out to him like a loud ring inside his ears. He closed his eyes and let go, and his mind fell through several layers of soil and connected to a dormant energy in the heart of the planet. Silence finally fell in his own head and he closed his eyes and touched the humid dirt, wanting to reach further down into the soil. The energy was waking up, and the ground was shaking.

Vader felt Luke's concentration disappearing in fragments like a blinking light. He removed his glove and touched the soil too, giving Luke a boost and the energy reacted to both their presences.

The earthquake stopped and leaves fell down the trees. 

Silence.

Vader opened his eyes and blinked, wondering if he was seeing a vision: he wasn't. Bright white sparkles rose from the ground, illuminating the woods like fireflies, surrounding them. He tried touching them but his hand went through them, and yet it didn't feel like an optical illusion. 

The campfire crackled in front of him, unaware of anything, only illuminating their fronts with warm colours. The rest was a blur of blue and white and the Force welcomed Vader warmly, and he wasn't sure if it was the Force or the boy reaching out to him. Luke was slightly floating above the ground, eyes closed, slowly detaching himself from the energy. It was like ripping a band aid— he could do it fast, but he didn't want the pain right now. 

When Luke finally opened his eyes, his jaw dropped and he looked up at how the white sparkles flew towards the sky. Some sparkles clung to him like insects, and he had to shake himself off so they continued their journey.

Vader dropped his gaze from the sky and towards Luke, mesmerized. The Force surrounded him in a way that it did Anakin once before, before he betrayed his own self and those he cared about. The energy the boy exuded was equal to his own, but so much different: it was controlled, peaceful, secure. 

Bright.

When the sparkles disappeared into the sky, there was silence, and then danger invaded their senses. The sparkles fell down now, and Vader created a bubble that protected them from the impact. On instinct, fast, draining.

The ground absorbed the light like droplets of water and the roots of the trees glowed a light blue color, making paths through the soil.

“Do you feel it now?” whispered Luke, too surprised to be coherent. It was difficult to separate energies and presences in the Force, because they were multiplying by a tenfold. He sensed no danger, just...

“Life,” muttered Vader, touching the ground again and reaching out further into the planet. The core became a beating heart that pulsed life back into the veins. “Rebirth. How did you know this?”

Luke shrugged. “Had a hunch...” he said, looking around. “You also have to teach me how to do shields.”

Vader made them unconsciously, but holding them up was draining. Some sparkles turned themselves to bright stars, illuminating the early dawn sky. Luke could see the galaxy from the ground, but the wind chilled them to their bones, and they returned inside. Luke walked towards the cockpit to get a better view of the sky and sat in his co-pilot seat, cross-legged, shaking from cold. He blessed whoever invented heating systems.

Vader came back and handed Luke a warm cup of chocolate and Luke took it without looking, wrapping his hands around it for warmth. “You've brought chocolate on board?”

“Admiral Piett packed the rations,” said Vader calmly, sitting down, “This planet has been dormant for decades, most Force-sensitives would have felt its awakening.” 

“Is that a bad thing?” asked Luke.

“No, not at all.” whispered Vader, surprised at his own words. There was a certain conviction in his voice that Luke didn't understand. There was something Vader wasn’t telling him.

Silence fell between them again, and when Vader looked at Luke he saw that the boy had fallen asleep, cup in his hands. His presence in the Force was exhausted from restoring an ecosystem, and Vader had seen enough Force-sensitives in the past to know that anyone else would have passed out from such activity. 

And yet the boy's connection to the Force kept surprising him— the ease with which he handled it, how he moved like a fish in the water despite having little training. How both of their strengths combined could wake up a dormant planet. 

Vader carefully removed the cup from Luke's hands and came back with a blanket, slowly covering him in it. Luke moved in his sleep, his presence in the Force finding Vader's and instinctively asking him to stay.

He did.

* * *

_You have to see this._

_Where are you?_

Luke followed Vader’s signature through the Force up towards a cliff. Vader turned around and gestured to him to come closer. He was wearing his winter coat, hands in his pockets. His hood and scarf only made his eyes visible, and they were glinting with childlike curiosity. 

Luke walked up the hill, and stopped at the edge of it. The thousands of miles of rock that covered the planet were gone. Instead there was a raging ocean with rogue waves roaring with life, calling out to them through the Force— welcoming them, thanking them. 

He looked around, eyebrows raised, and saw that the water ended at a rocky shore as if it was always meant to be. His jaw dropped and his hair floated because of the wind, and he was shaking from cold but he didn’t notice nor care. Vader pulled the hood of Luke’s coat up, making sure he wouldn’t freeze. Luke’s teeth were chattering from the cold, but his eyes were fixed on the ocean. “Did we do this?” he finally asked.

Vader smiled quietly, still in disbelief. “I believe we did.”

Luke laughed loudly, the warm sound echoing across the ocean. He shook his head in disbelief and put his hands in the coat’s pockets. “How is this even possible?”

Vader looked at the ocean again, his grey-blue eyes reflecting the color of the water. “The planet is restoring itself. Natural resources are coming back— water, wind, and soon will the sun,” he explained, “All thanks to you. Your connection to the Force is unique. You made the right choice,” reassured Vader, not needing the Force to know that the boy might be doubting himself, “I couldn’t even sense the planet calling out for a Force-sensitive.”

“But you did.” said Luke, confused.

Vader replied instantly. “Because you showed me.”

Luke smiled. “Who’s the teacher here, then?” he teased confidently, and Vader laughed. 

*** * ***

By the time they reached another forest, the sun started to shine from the clouds, and the woods that used to be grey were now a bright yellow, entering the closest thing the planet would have to autumn. Some leaves fell from the trees that still seemed to reach the sky, and it engulfed them in a pleasant cocoon. 

Vader decided to use the free time to teach him the basics of lightsaber combat while the weather was tolerable, and because he didn’t know how much time they would have once they went back to the Executor. They made camp next to a river, a safe distance from the water.

Luke took guidance very well, but Vader sensed that he was impatient. “A lightsaber is a dangerous and destructive instrument, a powerful blade that can strike down an opponent—or a friend, if you are not careful,” explained Vader, “You must have patience and master the basics, otherwise your form will be weak.”

Luke stood very still and watched Vader pace around him in circles. “What would you do if an opponent came from the woods at this instant?” asked Vader. 

“Watch you kick their ass?” suggested Luke.

Vader sighed. “No, Commander. If they present danger, you must fight back.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone unless other lives are at risk,” said Luke. He remembered the death star, “This is why I use the Force more: I can push someone out of the way and avoid drawing sabers altogether."

“You must use both. The Force is your ally, and it will accompany you regardless whether you choose to draw the weapon out or not. There is no distinction: just the Force, guiding all your actions.”

Vader went silent for a moment, and then stretched his arms and ignited his lightsaber, the red mixing nicely with the warm colors of the trees. “Let’s simulate combat so I can see where you’re at.”

Luke grinned and activated his lightsaber and marched towards Vader, who took a few steps back as they started an intricate dance across the leaves on the soil. His feet moved on his own accord but his strikes were sloppy and only guided by the Force, since he had no practice other than deflecting blasts. Vader blocked his hits with one arm.

Luke dropped his weapon and walked away. “You’re holding back.” 

Vader stood still, lightsaber pointed at the ground. “I will not hurt you. This is only a simulation and with training you have the potential to become a great duelist. I have seen it now.”

“I don’t see how I’m gonna become a great duelist if you're holding back. Just this once, please.” pleaded Luke quietly. 

“Very well, but I will not hurt you. If I see a window of opportunity to strike you down, I will not.” he said boldly, and Luke nodded. 

They started again, and Luke could feel Vader’s presence in the Force waking up now. He was a tornado of energy coming his way, and Luke braced himself. He was on defensive most of the time, and noticed that Vader went against what the Force was telling him. He could have striked several times already, but he didn’t. Luke continued on defensive, already exhausted from the physical movement and he focused on not stopping walking backwards. 

Eventually Vader advanced on him, and Luke couldn't hold his ground anymore. He fell to the ground, landing on a pack of leaves and using the Force to cushion his fall. Vader pointed the lightsaber at him. “If this was real, you would have been killed several times.”

Luke closed his eyes and leaned back into the leaves, out of breath and exhausted. “If this was real I would have just thrown you into the river and ran the other way.”

Vader deactivated his lightsaber and offered him a hand. “That could work, but do not rely on Force tricks all the time,” he said with a grunt, helping Luke to his feet. “Other than that, you did good. I’m impressed.” he reassured him, and Luke took the compliment even if he didn’t believe it.

They walked back towards their camp by the river and Luke couldn’t get a question out of his mind. He had just seen Vader engage in a lightsaber combat, and he was holding back. “Can I ask you something?”

Vader looked at him.

“Piett said you have survived other assassination attempts before. I know the circumstances are different, but why are you afraid now? I’ve just seen you almost murder me a dozen of times. You’re more than capable of defending yourself.” 

He didn’t think Darth Vader would be afraid of anything, but after a year in his company he knew otherwise. He sat down next to Vader on the ground, and Vader looked at him, taking his features in. Luke’s golden hair shone in the sun, and he didn’t look like a rebel Commander, or an imperial worker, or a soon to be Jedi if he wished. He didn’t look intimidating, like he could wake up a dormant planet back to life with just his presence alone.

He looked ordinary.

Even if Vader knew he was anything but.

Luke patiently waited for an answer, feeling Vader’s internal turmoil. Some small rocks floated behind Vader, and Luke paid them no attention. 

“Before I didn’t have anything to lose, now I do.” 

The Force hummed in approval, and Vader’s blue eyes glinted with something Luke didn’t recognise.

“I lost everything I had when I was your age: the Republic, the Jedi, my family. I justified my actions by saying that it needed to be done but I’ve known for a long time that I was wrong. I had nothing to lose anymore, so the assassination attempts didn’t bother me.”

He took a deep breath.

“Until I met you.”

The ground started to shake slightly, and they didn’t know who was causing it. The planet was attuned to their presences in the Force like a battery recharging from their energies— and to its surprise, both of their presences were different shades of light, but light nonetheless.

“I promised that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I intend to keep that promise, regardless of what it costs me.”

Luke swallowed, feeling a knot in his throat. He felt an unconscious protective field surrounding him like a blanket, and he felt like a small child in their parent’s arms. The energy was paternal, soothing, but not constrictive. Luke could get out of it if he wanted, but he couldn’t ignore how _right_ it felt. Not in the Force, not in the planet’s mystical energy, but as people. Luke saw a broken man who was trying to rebuild what he destroyed and what was destroyed for him, but focusing on destruction was useless when the man was aching to start again, had been for years. In Vader’s greyness he saw a strong string that shone brightly and the light ended where the string had been cut. 

Luke placed a hand on Vader’s shoulder slightly and concentrated on extending the protective field towards Vader too, and it engulfed them both naturally.

Vader shivered, glancing at him. He tried to remember the last time he felt such a natural connection with someone, and then realised that he didn’t care. A ghost’s touch was cold, dead— but the boy was very much alive, here, next to him.

The paternal energy confused Luke because he never felt it directed at him before. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru had been his guardians and they cared about him, but in a way someone would care for their nephew. They never had children, and Luke knew he filled that spot and they loved him, and he loved them too, but the paternal feelings were never there. Bail Organa had been a mentor to him when he joined the Rebellion but the man’s paternal attitudes went towards Leia, his biological daughter. He cared about Luke and invited him to share a meal with the Organas, but Luke still felt like an outsider.

Then he stumbled into the man he ran away from. The man that the galaxy feared, responsible for irreparable horrors, the man that sent bounty hunters to find him. The man everyone wanted as far away from them as possible: a lonely person whose heart ached to fill a void that had been there for decades. Like two pieces of a puzzle that were never meant to fit together, so they threw the whole puzzle away and built another one. A man whose heart was buried under hundreds of layers that Luke crashed through without difficulties, and saw the sun.

Now the paternal energy through the Force soothed him in a way no one ever did, the hole his father left unfilled by dying before he was even born slowly starting to shine. He felt like a disinfected wound, or a bruise healing because someone applied a generous amount of bacta to it. 

The knot in Luke’s throat exploded and tears rolled down his eyes: unsure, expected, hesitant. 

Vader understood it all too well. He had been that age too, burdened with responsibilities that were too much to handle. He tried to find some words for comfort that would help, something soothing and adequate for the moment, but neither came to mind. 

“We will make it through this, do you hear me?” reassured Vader with a whisper. Luke looked up and his anxiety rolled off him in waves, and he rested his head on Vader’s shoulder, taking deep breaths. 

A few seconds later he felt a hesitant arm wrap around him, holding him in place and rubbing his shoulder for warmth. The roots of the trees brightened in the rhythm of a pulse but neither of them noticed. Luke closed his eyes in relief, finally letting his defences down after months of being on guard, sinking into the protective bubble that assured him that everything would be alright. He was grown enough to know that nobody could predict that, but he could believe in it, even if it was for a few minutes. The last thing he would lose is hope. 

*** * ***

In the early afternoon they continued walking, following the river closely. Vader went on a long rant about lightsaber combat, talking about duelists from the past and how their forms were sloppy. He talked about a bald woman that gave him the scar over his eye, and about a Dathomirian nightmare of a man. 

When Luke asked about where all the people from his stories were now, Vader just shrugged and said _probably dead_ , even if he had his doubts about the Dathomirian. Luke didn’t know what that meant.

He kept glancing at the river as they walked, and froze in place. Vader noticed, and turned around. The river that looked ordinary when they arrived had turned light blue, transparent and shone as if it was artificial. Despite still being daylight, it made everything seem dark in comparison. 

Vader recognised the Force signature, and walked towards the edge of the river, crouching down to touch the water. 

Luke stopped him. “Careful, we don’t know what that is.”

“Trust the Force, Commander. It has yet to lie to me,” he said, and removed his glove. He leaned towards the water and allowed his fingers to touch it, and he grinned victoriously.

The water shone brighter, and Luke squinted. The Force hadn’t changed around him, but Vader’s presence was lighter. The man’s fingers were still barely touching the water, and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, brows furrowing. “The Force, it’s here. It will not hurt you, see it for yourself.”

Luke blindly trusted Vader, and removed one glove to dip his hand into the transparent water. His senses expanded on a level he never felt before, easily engulfing the entire planet down. It felt different than the Force in Rhen Var, considered the epicentre of the energy in the Outer Rim. Back then they sought it, now it found them.

Luke saw the molecules of each wave in the ocean multiplying, and those molecules evaporated into rain. He watched those water molecules fall into the soil, creating tiny sprouts. He shook his head and allowed the Force to guide him, and ended in the planet’s core, the centre of its energy. It was cold in the middle, the planet still not having fully awakened yet, but it was burning around the corners.

Everywhere he felt the Force, and watched it finding them too: calling to them, urging them to find this place, thanking Luke for bringing them to its grounds. It was a breath of clean air after inhaling pollution for years; the silence after leaving a loud group of people. The serenity in one’s soul that came with complete solitude, a certain connection with oneself that could hardly be achieved without intense concentration. 

“When we landed I said I sensed something and we couldn’t find it. I believe it was this.” said Vader, dismissing it off as a daily occurrence.

“It wasn’t shining before though,” he said, “Maybe it leads somewhere. Let's find out.” They walked away, and Luke’s senses tingled. “I feel like...” he mumbled, and turned around. “We’re being watched.”

In the river they saw a creature looking at them with big owlish eyes, the rest of the body underwater. They were round and light blue, transparent; with water inside them that moved from one place to another. They had two large eyes on top of their head, and two big triangular ears. They blinked once, and the ears opened and the membrane became transparent, and the eyes could turn around completely to see what was happening behind. At the top of the triangular ears were three tiny strings that brightened occasionally. They blinked a few times at them, and looked at Vader. They swam towards him like an octopus, their two elastic limbs being used as arms, the strings at the top of their head shining brightly.

Luke thought Vader would take a step back, but the man merely crouched to look closer at it. The creature floated in silence, blinking slowly and looking between Luke and Vader, their strings shining brightly the longer they stared. Vader removed his glove and extended his flesh hand out, and the creature’s eyes looked down on it, and then up at him. They floated closer towards the edge of the river and raised their belly up, and Vader pressed a hand there carefully. 

The creature emitted a white blue light again, and spoke inside Vader’s head. 

_You are Anakin._

Vader answered immediately. _No._

The creatures showed him his own memories: beginning with a distant scream of a Jedi Master that stung inside his ears like an echo bouncing around a small room, and he saw himself kneeling.

'Henceforth, you shall be known as...'

Silence.

Who was that man to tell him how he should be named? He used to have a name and reply to several titles: General, Jedi Knight, Master...

Anakin.

The ghost of Anakin Skywalker still lived inside his heart, chained to its walls, occasionally tugging as a reminder of his existence. Vader didn’t want to talk to him: at the same time that he felt disconnected from the man he thought dead for over two decades, he still felt him at the back of his mind, whispering memories and words from another life.

'Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth Vader.'

The name he would answer to for the last two decades: Darth Vader, Lord Vader, Supreme Commander. 

'I’m a person, and my name is Anakin.'

Names mattered when everything else was forbidden. It was the thing that was truly yours to keep, to change if one desired. 

'Rise, Lord Vader.'

He took one last glance at the Force induced memory of that decisive day twenty-three years ago. His memories of that time were blurry, but he remembered some moments with precise clarity: the concrete stairs shaking under his feet as hundreds of clones marched into the Jedi Temple, led by him: Lord Vader.

But only he knew the truth. Darth Vader was a resting serpent inside Anakin Skywalker’s sleeve that was waiting to be released— and Anakin Skywalker fought against the serpent until his dying breath in Coruscant. 

But if Anakin was dead, why did he hear him behind every breath? In the eyes of the Force, Anakin and Vader were two sides of the same coin and it was only time until the man stopped making distinctions and accepted the truth: that there wasn’t a Darth Vader, there wasn’t an Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Hero— there was just _him_. A man trying to keep the galaxy together after tearing it apart, the ghost of someone he used to be, or a slowly brightening shadow of the person he could become.

The creature had closed its eyes. _You are very lost. You want to leave our planet. You are tainted in darkness. You are allowed here only because you are the child of the Force._

 _Are you a child of the Force too?_ asked Vader, mentally exhausted from having had to see memories he thought buried.

_Your soul intrigues me. You are conflicted._

_We want to get out of here safely._

_You see ocean and asteroids. Now?_

Vader remembered the asteroids that surrounded the planet. _Yes?_

The creature opened their eyes and slowly floated away from him. They inhaled water and it filled them, and they dived deep into the river, disappearing out of sight.

Luke didn't hear anything, and just blinked. “What just happened.” he whispered. 

Vader didn’t dare move. “They’re not done yet. Stay still.”

The water moved and the creature emerged, emptying its entire belly from water and floating above it like a balloon. They opened their eyes slowly to adjust to the air, and their strings shone when they saw Luke. They used their underwater limbs to move closer to him, and Luke just froze in place, not used to being stared at by a mythical creature. “Hello.” he tried.

The creature blinked slowly and then looked at Vader, the strings shining brightly again. Then from under the water appeared the same creature but smaller and white and gold. They took longer to open their eyes, and when they did it hid behind the bigger creature, using their limbs to almost climb on their head.

_If what you say about the ocean is the truth, I will help you._

_You know in the Force that I am not lying._ assured Vader. _And we do not need any help._

_You do. You are worried. The Force. The past worries you._

Vader went silent inside his own head, pulling at the string that connected him to whatever or whoever bothered him since Naboo. 

The creature spoke. _I have a tool for you. Follow me._

It climbed out and stood on two limbs and continued walking, and Luke scooted away in surprise. The smaller creature climbed on the back of the bigger one, leaving a soaking trail of water behind. The smallest creature’s eyes turned around to stare at them, and Luke unconsciously moved closer to Vader, not wanting to make eye contact with the baby. “Do they understand us?” asked Luke. The creature’s strings shone brightly at the noise, and Luke took that as a yes. 

“They do not speak Basic, if that is what you’re asking, but they understand the Force.”

“What are they?”

“Native species to the planet. They are intrigued about the ocean.”

The creature told Vader through images that the planet used to be habitable, and their species hid inside the mountains for shelter when the temperatures became unbearable. They came out today. 

_Are you a child of the Force too?_ repeated Vader. 

_We are._

The creatures stopped and sat on the ground. They leaned their heads next to each other, and their strings shone and they closed their eyes. Vader observed the interaction and sat down in front of them, a respectful (and safe) distance away. Luke sat down next to him, unpacking a meal from the bag he carried around. 

Vader did a double take. 

_What? They’re recharging. I’m hungry. We haven’t eaten all day._ said Luke.

He quickly started a fire, and once the meals were warm enough he started eating. _So, Orto Plutonia? How did it end?_

*** * ***

They followed the river and watched how it merged with the ocean. It lost its brightness afterwards, but the magic of it was always there, underneath, hidden deep inside the planet. The vast ocean was now made from that same water: appearances hardly mattered when Luke now knew how the ocean could look like under another light.

Luke’s eyes widened as he remembered. “The ship.”

“Autopilot to these coordinates,” explained Vader, pressing some buttons on a gadget in his wrist, ”Should be here in a few minutes. It’s equipped for survival as long as we don’t run out of fuel.”

The ship landed a few minutes later clumsily, and the ramp fell to the ground with a loud noise that startled the creatures. The first one they encountered flew towards them, something resembling gratitude and apprehension rolling off through the Force. 

_Child, take this._

A small piece of a rock moved towards them, and the creature placed their limbs on it. It was a small rock that could fit in a human hand, nothing out of the ordinary at first, but the longer the creature touched it, the brighter it became.

The inside of the rock was half-transparent and had small sparkles floating around, creating shapes and patterns with their light. It was transparent in a way you saw the world holding a glass of water to your eyes. The light blue hues mixed itself with whites and greys, all bright. Luke felt like he was staring at the galaxy.

_A piece of us, with your child and you._

Vader blinked. _He’s not my–_ he sent back through the Force, and bowed respectfully. _Thank you._

Luke picked the rock up carefully, surprised at how light it was, and stood awkwardly next to Vader. He bowed too, and the creature looked at them one last time before diving into the ocean, the child on their back.

Vader crouched to look at the rock in Luke’s hands, and touched it carefully. “A piece of them to us, they said,” explained Vader quietly, unable to keep his eyes from the gift. He placed a hand on it and closed his eyes. The purest flow of Force flooded his veins, and he shivered. 

“You alright?” asked Luke.

“Bring it on board somewhere safe and let’s get out of here.”

Luke stopped. “I want to go back to where we spent the first night, when the planet woke up. I want to try something.”

Vader didn’t need to be told twice. They landed there a few minutes later, the ship facing the ocean on a cliff, and Luke insisted that he wanted to go alone. Vader didn’t press, and sat on the ramp, breathing in the fresh ocean air.

The leaves there had turned auburn in their absence too, crunching under Luke’s feet. He found the approximate place of the first campfire, and with a flick of his wrist the leaves flew around, leaving the dirt exposed.

Luke crouched down and placed the rock where the campfire had been, and closed his eyes. The Force flooded his veins like cold air on a warm skin, and he called to whoever had been bothering him since Naboo.

His presence in the Force was different, and he tugged on the thick cord that connected him with whatever was on the other side of it. He received a tug too, and tried to follow the string to the end, but he stopped. 

Or rather, he clashed against an invisible barrier. 

He felt eyes on him, and saw a creature staring at him from the other side of the forest, its antennas shining brightly. A strong rush of wind sent him flying backwards, landing on a small mountain of leaves.

_Seek no further, child._

The creature jumped toward the trees and disappeared before Luke could communicate with them. How could Luke look no further when he didn’t even know where to start looking? For whom to start looking, and why?

When Luke returned to the ship, he felt Vader’s presence in the Force closely. The man was startled, even if he hid it very well. “How did it go?” asked Vader tiredly, his voice emotionless. 

Luke dismissed it, saying he thought he lost something there. 

“Well, did you find it?”

Luke said that he didn’t, and sat down next to him on the ramp. Vader’s helmet was on the ground between them. “Can I try it on?” asked Luke.

Vader made a face. “Why would you.”

“I’ve always wondered...This is advanced tech. But if you don’t want to it’s no problem.”

Vader looked at it. Being inside the helmet was a product of nightmares, and he had spent a year wishing to be free of it.

“Go ahead.” he concluded with a sigh, looking back at the ocean far ahead, occasionally glancing at Luke. The helmet had grown to become one of his priceless possessions— it haunted him at first, it was merely a useful tool now, if not a part of him. 

Luke picked it up and realised it was heavier than he expected, and turned it around, scanning it with a trained eye. He looked inside and his eyes widened. “Wow,” he whispered, “Did you modify this?”

“I did. The original prototype was very constricting.” he said, and didn’t want to elaborate on how constricting it was. 

Luke put it on slowly, and took a few seconds to adjust to the weight on his shoulders. The helmet was more spacious than he imagined, but it fitted his facial structure nicely. The helmet had peripheral vision and a screen that indicated current coordinates, altitude and outside temperature. 

They were all deactivated.

Luke didn’t comment on that. 

It also had an air filtering system that was also deactivated, and a heating system that worked perfectly. Luke grinned— he was right all along. No wonder Vader didn’t take it off when it was freezing. “It’s heavier than I thought–” said Luke, and froze. His voice was mechanical and sounded like Vader’s.

Vader did a double take as he was thrown into memories of when he first heard his voice after Mustafar. It wasn’t something he would wish on anyone else.

Especially not Luke.

“Enough, take it off.” he ordered.

Luke removed the helmet carefully, placing it on his lap and blinking to adjust to the light. “I see why you don’t like it. The galaxy knows _this_ face,” said Luke, pointing at the mask, “They’ve seen you at your worst, and I wonder if they’ll ever see this side of you.” he said, looking at Vader.

Vader raised his shields around himself protectively. He had given up on himself long before the Empire rose.

“When we first met I didn’t think you were human,” confessed Luke, “Look at us now. Change and growth are an essential part of life; the will of the Force even. I swore my heart to the Alliance and I still stand by the cause, even if I’m...on the other side now.” he said slowly, looking at the ocean. Neither of them noticed that it was slowly stopping to listen.

Vader spoke. “You sound like a Jedi.”

“What’s wrong with that?” asked Luke. He remembered that Vader used to be one, even if he didn’t speak of it. “My father was one, and I turned out alright.” joked Luke. 

The ashes of the string that connected father and son started shining and rebuilding itself, and snapped again. Both Luke and Vader turned around abruptly, sensing a strong disturbance through the Force again, not knowing that they were causing it. To sense the heat of a sun was difficult if you were standing in the centre of the sun directly.

“What was that?” asked Luke.

Vader once again reached out towards the wall of fog that separated him from the answers he was seeking. The Force felt like waves of an ocean, like he was trying to run underwater and once he put his head out the waves kept pushing him back. Vader rested his head on the barrier made of warm fog, feeling the depth that separated him from the other side, and sighed, closing his eyes. He tried to lean closer to it, but there was only so much he could do with something he knew nothing about. 

Physically his eyes were open, and he spoke automatically. “Nothing to concern yourself with. The planet is changing, disturbances are common.” 

Luke closed his eyes and focused on the same feeling he had on Naboo, of someone or something calling out to him through the Force. Whenever he tried to reach it, warm clouds separated them and as much as Luke ran through them, he never found the answer and crashed against a warm barrier.

On the other side he could feel a warm presence calling out to him, equally as desperate, and Luke stayed. He pressed a hand on the wall with a sigh. Someday, he thought, whatever was on the other side wasn’t harmful. 

“Do you wish to leave now?” asked Vader monotonically, still in trance.

Luke’s real voice echoed across his head, as if Vader was underwater. On the other side of the wall, Luke sighed and removed his hand, and went back to the real world, telling Vader he would get the ship ready for take-off.

Vader stayed in the Force a little longer, head still pressed against the wall of fog that separated him from the truth. He didn’t know what happened that night on Mustafar after he passed out: perhaps the Force wanted to show him so he could have peace, or maybe–

No.

Not possible _in the slightest_. He would have known if his child survived from the other side of the universe: he’s had twenty years. Whatever was behind that wall, Vader would figure it out. He left the barrier and opened his eyes, and in the other side of the ship Luke felt the presence disappearing, and then he saw Vader entering the cockpit.

"Let's go." said Vader.

Luke nodded, focusing on the emptiness the presence left on the other side of the barrier. He missed it already. When they entered hyperspace and went to their respective rooms to get some rest, neither of them could sleep.

Vader was meditating on the floor in the darkness of his quarters, and unconsciously went back towards the wall of fog. 

Luke was also meditating in his room, laying on the bed, half-asleep. He felt the presence reaching out towards him, tugging on the cord. Luke tugged back, but the wall between them was too thick. The string was warm, and Luke held it in his own hands and slowly drifted to sleep, feeling protected. It reminded him of Vader, and he dismissed his thoughts as having spent a lot of time with the man.

Vader held the other side of the string in his hand, and could physically feel its warmth on his skin. He allowed himself to think that perhaps, just perhaps, whoever was on the other side could actually exist. 


	25. The Temple Shadow

**"What can you know about a person? They shift in the light. You can’t light up all sides at once. Add a second light and you get a second darkness...”**

Vader had been thinking about it for the longest time. If Sidious was dead, he would inherit the throne. He didn't want it—the Empire had become a rotten thing in the last years, and he had seen up close what destruction it brought. His unofficial trips across the galaxy without his helmet allowed him to walk across the streets easily, and he had seen personally what his own actions had done to people.

He didn't want to inherit the Empire, but if Sidious was truly dead, he would take the throne. If he didn’t, some fame seeking imperial General would, and the Empire would start all over again in different colors. 

Vader wouldn't let that happen. Sidious never left any children—the idea horrified Vader— and never planned anyone to inherit his playtoy, but the entire Empire already saw Vader as Sidious' second hand, so it was only natural that Darth Vader would get the throne.

There was a small problem: if he was in charge, his spot as Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet would be vacant. He thought Admiral Piett would fill the vacancy successfully, but Vader had another person in mind.

Ben Starkiller was a strange person, a curious appearance from the Force that seemingly came out of nowhere and turned his life and his beliefs around. Vader knew the boy was a rebel and would never take his place in the Imperial Fleet, but Vader needed to let him know.

That's how they found each other orbiting around Coruscant in Vader's personal ship, Luke growing worried that Vader wasn't speaking. Coruscant was still the same planet on the outside as it had been for hundreds of years: it had been Home to Vader for most of his childhood. Empire Day was coming soon and he needed to supervise preparations and ensure security, but he didn't want to land yet.

Luke glanced at Vader's face every few seconds, trying to get a read on the man. Their bond in the Force was strong and open, fluctuating with light energy and power. To the Force, their power was almost equal. They were made of the same stars, of the same blood; their skin had different patterns but in the eyes of the Force they were one and the same. 

Luke continued revising the security plans on his datapad, patiently waiting for Vader to get through whatever was bugging him. Luke had learnt that while Vader held power and was feared by every sentient and non-sentient being, the man struggled to express his emotions in words. He was a silent man who expressed himself with actions, and Luke discovered that Vader's favorite pastime was sitting silently in the same room as him. It reminded Luke of a Lothcat, and he never thought he’d ever make that comparison with Darth Vader.

“When I die, I want you to inherit the Empire and the Imperial Fleet, as well as all my property.”

Silence.

Luke looked at him like Vader was losing his mind, but he was serious, his jaw slightly clenched and breathing unsteady.

“What.”

“I said–“

“Heard you the first time,” said Luke with a frown, “But I don't want the Empire, or the Imperial Fleet, and you're not going to die anytime soon.”

Vader blinked. “Need I remind you that I am the next in the line of success to the throne? With Sidious gone, they will come for me.”

Luke didn't need the reminder. “Let them, we can handle them. You're not going to die,” he affirmed, “And thank you.”

Vader frowned. “For what?” he whispered.

“For choosing me as your successor, even if I don't accept it. There surely are more competent people out there that–“

Vader interrupted. “No.”

Silence.

He continued. “I don't trust anyone else with my life but you, Commander. My offer still stands, you can do with the Empire whatever you wish. Piett will guide if you have any questions about management.”

Of course he did. Piett underestimated how much Vader valued him, but to his defence, Vader had never voiced his satisfaction with the man outloud.

Luke thought about it. A rebel Commander, let alone the man that destroyed the Death Star, as successor to Darth Vader would be strange, but he would have the power to restore democracy. He couldn’t let that opportunity pass; but he didn’t like the implications of that world. 

The Rebellion had kicked him out, even if they seemed open to having him back. He had lost everything because he found a hidden kindness in Darth Vader's heart; the same heart that took him in and taught him everything he knew about the Force. 

A world without his current closest friend was not a world he wanted to exist in, but he would if it ever got to it. The galaxy needed peace, and it didn’t care if Luke's heart would be broken.

“You're not dying anytime soon,” repeated Luke, “So you can keep all your properties and management. We have a goal here, right now, and it is keeping you safe during Empire Day. I've been revising the security and I would be surprised if anyone managed to infiltrate the Palace.”

Vader didn't say that his offer also applied to when he died of old age. Ben Starkiller was his successor regardless of when he died; whether it be in an hour, a year, or forty years. He didn't think anyone else capable or worthy of inheriting all his useless possessions and titles. 

Vader realised he had been staring at Coruscant, and took a deep breath to snap out of it. He gripped the controls and began the descent into the atmosphere, but Luke stopped him before they left space. The orange of the Coruscant lights illuminated both of their faces, and Vader's blue eyes locked onto his quizzingly. The hum of the engines and the ventilation shafts echoed pleasantly across the ship, the air slightly cold. 

“Whatever happens when we land, I will be there for you,” affirmed Luke in a low voice, the Force humming pleasantly around them, “And don't even think about dying on me or I will kill you.”

Vader clenched his jaw, unused to any caring from another human being. It made him uncomfortable, but he accepted Luke's words with a curt nod. Luke continued looking at him, wanting to make sure that Vader understood he was being serious. He knew and saw that Vader was more than capable of defending himself; most of the galaxy was aware of Darth Vader's power— but Luke knew that Vader now was more distracted than before; more thoughtful about something else he refused to discuss with Luke.

They collided against each other a year ago and had been learning from each other since: Vader was less stubborn and temperamental, and Luke was more focused and determined. Current galactical circumstances had put Luke in the position of an unconscious guardian, and Vader was slowly losing his spark. His memories of Mustafar were bothering him, and the stupid rope that separated him from the truth refused to cooperate.

He was growing desperate to find out if the Force was playing tricks on him, or if there was something he missed. He felt like it was staring at him in the face, that the separating barrier wasn’t as deep as it seemed. He needed to meditate somewhere safe and find out what happened that day on Mustafar, almost twenty-three years ago tomorrow.

*** * ***

Coruscant was thundering with activity, the preparations for the annual Empire Day filling the artificial skies with transporting ships and guests. The Imperial Palace was illuminated with traditional glorious lights, and speeders arrived and left with materials.

Darth Vader paced around his office quietly, pretending to memorize the anual Empire Day speech that was re-written to adapt to Palpatine's public disappearance. Luke glanced at him from the datapad he was reading, sensing that Vader’s mind was elsewhere. His office in the Imperial Palace on Coruscant was less extravagant than Luke expected; it was a big room with tall, tinted windows and a desk opposite the windows. There was one lonely dark leather couch that nobody had ever sat on, and some built-in closets for storage that, knowing Vader, were either empty or full of strange metallic scraps. 

“Alright. You won’t get anything done like that,” sighed Luke, standing up from the couch and walking to him, “Give me the speech.”

Vader looked at him like he was speaking in a different language. “No. It is crucial that Empire Day is the same as the other years. It is the most public festivity and the only chance I have to reduce the rumours that the Emperor’s zero public appearances for over a year are not coincidental.”

Luke sighed, opening the palm of his hand. “Yeah, give me the speech.” He had spent enough time with the man to read through his dramatics; big speeches with intimidating words could impress anyone, but the words were empty.

Vader was worried, and Luke didn’t need any words to know why.

Vader reluctantly gave him the datapad and paced back to his own desk, sitting down and tapping his fingers on the surface. Luke flopped down on the unused couch, wanting to continue reading, but he felt eyes on him. “What is it?” he asked, not looking up.

Vader sighed. “I don't know for how long we can keep hiding that the Emperor is missing,” he confessed, “It has been more than a year since his last public appearance. People already suspect something is off.”

Luke looked at him, and at Vader's helmet that rested on the desk. Its dark eyes staring at Luke, and he found himself entranced. When Vader moved, Luke’s eyes landed back on the man, and for a brief second he didn’t recognise him as the owner of the notorious helmet. 

Darth Vader was not, as Luke had learnt, an intimidating man. He had a façade he showed everyone; murder and danger, leadership through fear and mysticism through having the Force. While that was technically _true_ , Luke also knew that the man didn't like to speak much, had a nervous disposition, and looked chronically tired. He was melancholic and nostalgic for things that didn’t make sense to Luke, as if he was constantly reliving moments of the past.

Landing on Coruscant to prepare for Empire Day had taken a toll on Vader. He despised the festivity and bowed that when Sidious died he would get rid of it. While everyone pretended to celebrate the birth of the Empire to stroke Sidious' ego, Vader remembered the events that would turn twenty-three tomorrow. He remembered them in clear detail, some parts blurrier than others— and it chilled him to his bones because he could _feel_ it happening at that exact moment. He kept waiting for the 23:59 mark in the clock, only for it to turn 23:60. 

Being in so close proximity to the Jedi Temple was confusing, that’s why he never used this office before (and that’s why he was using it now; no one would find him here).

Tomorrow he would celebrate his biggest, most irreparable mistake turning twenty-three, and trying not to think about why his memories of Mustafar kept changing. He tried meditation again; sat on the floor against the wall, closed his eyes and sunk into the Force. 

Luke felt him disappear completely, his physical defence non-existent. Anyone else would have struck Vader down, there were probably people on the way to do that. Luke simply grabbed a pillow from the couch, put it behind Vader's back, and walked away.

 _Don't overthink it._ he sent through the Force. Vader was in so deep that his presence almost vanished from Luke's perception, but the man heard him nonetheless. He hummed in response and re-lived Mustafar all over again, trying to understand the puzzle. 

Luke secured the office before leaving and walked across the Imperial Palace, his lightsaber attached to his belt. The Palace was a powercell for the Force, and Luke knew the reasons why. It was built over the old Jedi Temple on Coruscant, its physicality hidden but still glowing with energy from the Jedi that used to live here.

His father must have walked the same corridors, touched the same walls, saw the same building structures. Luke knew he had to get into the Jedi Temple today before the corridors were filled with arrogant aristocrats tomorrow. He focused on the Force and allowed it to guide him, and the Force welcomed him warmly. It recognised him as the son of Anakin Skywalker, the brave and light Jedi Knight, and saw that Luke was capable of even more light than his father.

He thought about him a lot; about how he must have looked like, about how tall he was, about how R2-D2 told him stories about his father’s adventures during the clone wars. Luke admired and loved his father, and being so close to a place he probably had walked through brought him a warm feeling in his chest, spreading all the way to his fingertips. He felt like he was walking into a sun, as if the memory of his father was close to him, guiding him.

Luke stopped on his tracks in front of a wall. He put a hand on it, feeling its texture, and looked around to make sure he was alone. The corridors of this part of the Palace were empty, and Luke closed his eyes. He extended himself into the Force again, and was brought back to the barrier that separated him from the strange person on the other side of it— and let it go.

That was not the time.

In his office several floors above, Vader shivered and tugged at the rope that vibrated with activity from the other side, until it disappeared quickly. He groaned loudly and tried again.

The wall in front of Luke vibrated against his hand, and the floor below him revealed old stairs that went down. Luke looked around and followed the stairs, the small compartment above him closing. He was in complete darkness now, and ignited his lightsaber to illuminate the area. He was in a curved staircase, and felt eyes on him.

He turned around and saw a bright shadow glowing with light at the bottom of the stairs, and Luke stopped.

“Father?”

The figure moved, and Luke followed. The shadow was taller than him, and Luke could distinguish two legs and two arms, but it was _so_ bright that Luke didn't need the lightsaber anymore. He clasped it to his belt and continued walking. 

This floor of the Jedi Temple was a ruin.

It pained him to see several columns in the ground, mosaics and artifacts shattered. Luke could only imagine how the Temple looked like before the Empire, before the Jedi Purge. His soul stung when he remembered that Vader was responsible for it.

The shadow stopped at a door and Luke tried to find a face in the light, but there wasn’t anything. The figure opened the door and walked down some steps, and exploded in brightness. Luke squinted and closed his eyes to adjust, feeling as if a hole had been opened inside his chest.

When he opened his eyes, he avoided cursing loudly. The room was clean, and the technology looked outdated. There were several men in long cloaks in the room, talking to each other politely. In the same place where the bright figure last stood, now walked a man, approaching the others.

“Master Kenobi, thank you for coming.” 

Luke froze. He crossed the distance towards the Jedi and saw the back of a blond man, hands clasped behind politely.

“Is your padawan arriving? He is late.”

Obi-Wan sighed tiredly. “He should be here.”

Luke knew he was invisible, a mere passer-by in the grand scheme of time, and that nobody present could feel him. He heard a sound, and saw all the Jedi turning around.

Obi-Wan looked older than Luke remembered. The last time he saw the man was in a vision in the Temple of Rhen Var, before he got the kyber crystals. The Obi-Wan Kenobi from then was young, the Obi-Wan Kenobi looking at where he was standing now had more wrinkles, and some greying in his hair. He looked wiser, too. The man's eyes lit up at movement behind Luke.

“Sorry I'm late, Masters.”

Luke froze again, and watched another man walk towards the group. A younger Vader walked in wearing a long Jedi robe, gaze tired and curious at the same time. 

“Had complications in the hangar.” said Vader, bowing.

The other Jedi glared at him and continued talking. “The Sith Lord we are looking for is escaping us. We are having inspections in the Senate to identify anything suspicious. Dooku's Master cannot be too far.”

Vader blinked. “The Senate? We can’t have missed a Sith Lord in the _Senate._ ” 

_Padmé would have noticed._

Luke heard the thought inside his own head. Vader's emotions were clouded at the mention of the Senate, and as he stood next to Vader, he could see his features softening, dropping his façade for a few seconds.

Luke tried to remember if he knew who Padmé was, and remembered Vader talking about a woman. Luke smiled, looking at how Vader seemed to be lost in memories. He rarely saw him like that now, twenty years in the future.

Then, Vader became alert. He looked around the room as if he heard his name being called, not paying attention to the Jedi anymore, searching for the source of the intrusion.

Luke stood next to him, almost glued to his shoulder, looking up at him. He wanted to laugh and to avream, make any noise or disturbance so maybe his friend would notice him— _him_ , Luke Skywalker, who wasn't alive back then.

If the Jedi Order was still alive, it meant he wasn't. 

Vader's eyes landed on the spot next to him, on Luke's left shoulder, and Luke didn’t move. He didn't know what would happen if he did. The first time he had a vision of the past, he could talk to Vader; now the Force had other plans.

Vader discreetly reached out a hand to feel the space next to him, and felt heat. He looked up to see if it was the air ventilation system, but it was not. 

The warmth was barely there, followed by a controlled breathing— Vader thought he was going mad because he _recognised_ the warmth. He knew it in the back of his head as if it was a part of him. 

Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, who was simply reaching out a hand into the air and gazing into nothing, as he used to do as a child. When the short meeting ended, Obi-Wan approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “What’s wrong?” 

“Can't you feel it?” asked Vader, looking at the empty space next to him where Luke stood. His eyes were lighter, not yet having caused and seen destruction, and he looked at Obi-Wan for guidance.

“I don't feel anything,” said Obi-Wan. “Is it the visions again?”

“I feel...” mumbled Vader, and concentrated on the Force again. For a brief second, he saw a shadow in front of him, and took a step back. “There's someone here.”

Obi-Wan sighed. “There is no one here.”

“There is.”

“My dear it's just us, and you're tired. The mission on Cato Neimoidia has exhausted you,” reassured Obi-Wan, “Get some rest, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.”

Luke wanted to move and scream, anything to get out of the vision. 

“I'll meet Ahsoka and you in the dining halls?” asked Obi-Wan.

Luke breathed quietly as Vader continued staring at him, or at the shadow he gave out. 

“Be right behind you, Master.” said Vader slowly through clenched teeth. 

Obi-Wan nodded and left the room. Luke swallowed quietly, feeling his weight lightening slowly. If he jumped, he would defy gravity. 

Vader extended his hand out again. He felt some heat, and a small gravitational pull he could easily resist. “Who are you?” he whispered, entranced. 

Luke shivered. He extended his own hand and it hovered above Vader's, not touching. He wasn’t sure what would happen if the distance was closed. There were two decades of difference between them. The Force hummed like an electric current between their hands, and Vader stared at the air. He knew better than to ignore visions or Force signals— his mother died because he took too long to react. Maybe this was something significant, too. He could feel the warmth in the Force on his fingertips. 

“Okay...you're not the Sith Lord. I'm alone, I can't see you, you would have attacked me by now,” Vader tried reasoning out loud, and Luke smiled. He had never seen this side of Vader, “You're...a ghost in the Force? They're rare but not impossible, I think. That's what Master Yoda says anyway, but you should take his words with a grain of salt. He speaks in riddles,” he chuckled, and Luke was fully grinning now. Their hands still hovered above each other, not touching. “You're not Ahsoka playing a trick on me either. She's with Rex.”

Luke tilted his head in curiosity. “Who's Ahsoka?”

Vader shivered. He heard vibrations through the Force, not able to make out the words; but whoever was there with him neard him, and was talking back. He chuckled in disbelief, and tried again. “Are you from the future?”

“Yes.”

Vader recognised the longer vibration as affirmative. He thought he was experiencing the effects of sleep deprivation. Maybe he should listen to Obi-Wan more, after all. At that moment his commlink beeped and a human sized hologram appeared in front of them.

Vader's gaze softened immediately. “What’s wrong?”

Luke felt like he was intruding on a very personal moment. The woman in the holocall was young and wore complex and expensive clothes, her hair in an elaborate updo that he had only seen in old holopics. Luke recognised this woman: this was Queen Amidala. He had seen a vision of Vader and her on Naboo.

“I have had notice you're in Coruscant,” she said. Her voice was powerful and yet soft, as if reserved only for him. 

Vader looked at where the ghost was standing again. “I'm at the Temple, seeing ghosts... I think.”

She sighed. “I'm so glad to see you safe. Will you visit me after work and tell me about it?” she asked, hopeful. 

Vader smiled and nodded. “I will, my Lady.” he bowed.

She rolled her eyes and then paused, taking him in. There was a pause, and Luke saw Vader entranced with the hologram. She spoke in whispers, afraid that her words might slip through the crack of the walls and flood the planet. “I love you.”

Luke almost screamed.

“I love you too, see you soon.” answered Vader, and the short holocall ended.

Luke wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there. Vader looked at the empty space again with a sigh, questioning his sanity. “Whatever you just saw, forget it. If you're even a person...ah nevermind. Hallucinations it is.” he dismissed him, waving a hand tiredly, and left the room. Luke followed him, but clashed against the door as the Force pulled him back in time. 

Oh, he hated this part.

*** * ***

Luke groggily walked out of the Jedi Temple, hand on the walls for support as he was still dizzy. Force visions left him tired and disoriented, but he could expect less after having ripped the fabric of time... _again._

The Palace was surprisingly quiet and empty, and once Luke could walk properly, he sat down against a wall on the thick red carpet and closed his eyes. His commlink drew his attention, and he felt a push inside his head.

_Where are you?!_

Luke sighed. _Second floor, I think_. He looked at the commlink on his wrist and saw dozens of messages from Vader and Piett asking for his location. Luke looked at a window at the end of the corridor and saw that it was already night. When he walked in, he swore it was still daytime. 

Five minutes before, Vader felt a strong disturbance in the Force coming from inside the Palace and only then Starkiller's presence roared like an engine starting, and to Vader's relief, continued roaring. He could feel him in the second floor with alarming clarity, a dormant instinct taking over and needing to find him. He attributed the instinct to his own hyperalert state of mind, but the Force knew otherwise. The incomprehensible bond between father and son pulsed strongly, and Luke frowned - on one hand sensing Vader, on the other hand sensing activity from behind the wall.

He would meditate on it later.

A few minutes later Vader practically _ran_ towards him, and crouched down to touch his forehead. Luke had his eyes closed, recovering from the dizziness. “Where have you been? Are you hurt?” inquired Vader, his modulated voice not catching the usual worried tones Vader's natural voice had. 

“Jedi Temple, right there,” mumbled Luke, “I had a vision again, I saw you.”

Vader stood up and extended a hand to help Luke up, and Luke took it, now that he could feel Vader's hand physically. “It has been five hours since I stopped feeling you in the Force, Commander,” explained Vader, “Jedi Temples don't do that.”

To Luke, it had been only twenty minutes. He could sense Vader’s worry surrounding him, unconsciously looking for any signs of harm. The effect of the spell was slowly dissipating into air. “Where are we going?” asked Luke with a yawn, blindly following Vader across the corridors. A couple of workers walked past, tense in Darth Vader’s presence and confused at how the young man following him was so relaxed that he was _yawning._

“To my quarters.” answered Vader.

“You live here?” asked Luke, confused.

“No, but we are staying here for the celebrations. It is the safest place on Coruscant at the moment,” explained Vader, “Everything has been arranged.”

“Why didn't you tell me this before?” asked Luke. 

“I was going to, before you disappeared.”

“I didn’t disapp– _fine,_ I wanted to see the Jedi Temple up close and it dragged me into a vision. I wasn’t planning to be away for so long.”

“With a threat on both our heads, that was foolish to do. The Palace is protected but you must remain cautious.” said Vader, entering a code on an elevator to access the private rooms for visitors.

Luke still couldn’t get the young Vader's face out of his mind. The way he spoke to Queen Amidala, the exchange of love confessions was strange to him. Vader didn’t have any significant others as it would be expected of a man in his position, and Luke knew he didn’t have any children either. But Vader and the Queen looked _in love,_ the same way Luke saw Han and Leia looking at each other when they weren’t bickering. Vader had told him about Queen Amidala that night on Naboo: that they knew each other, and that he thought himself responsible for her death. Now Luke had seen there was something else there, but he would not ask. 

The quarters they occupied were a full apartment with a large living room, five bedrooms, three offices, two balconies and four bathrooms. Luke thought he could fit his X-Wing in any bedroom: they didn't _need_ that much space; he could have _all_ the Alliance members cramped in here. 

Vader immediately removed his helmet and walked towards the balcony, needing some fresh air. The balcony was spacious and gave view to the Coruscant skyline from very high up. Vader leaned on the railing with his two arms, looking down. 

Luke approached him, and now that he could see him, Vader looked stressed: his hair was ruffled and he kept biting his lower lip in frustration. 

“I'm sorry for not warning you about leaving. I didn't think it would take that long,” apologised Luke, “I understand how worried Piett and you must have been.”

Vader nodded slowly. “Indeed, you should comm him to let him know you're safe,” he whispered under his breath bitterly; as if his irritation wasn't directed at Luke but at himself. “What did you see in the vision?”

“The Jedi Temple, the middle of the clone wars I think. Ben Kenobi was there, and you were late to a meeting. He mentioned something about finding a Sith Lord?”

Vader clenched his jaw again and didn’t answer. That could be any day during the wars.

“This Sith Lord was the Emperor, wasn't it?” reflected Luke, “I didn't know the Jedi were aware of him.”

Vader looked ahead. “They found out when it was too late.”

Luke nodded patiently. “Obi-Wan Kenobi also mentioned someone called Ahsoka?”

Vader's gates of repressed emotions opened like a flood. Luke felt regret, worry and love. It was a strange but intense combination, and Luke wondered what kind of a Jedi Vader used to be before he turned to the dark side. He had seen Vader was in his early 20s and he didn’t look as haunted as he was now; something must have happened with the Sith Lord, and with whoever Ahsoka was. 

Vader decided to tell the truth. Coruscant was a knife in his bleeding heart, a knife he had never wanted to pull out; it would hurt now, but it was the first step to healing. “Ahsoka Tano was my padawan before she was expelled from the Jedi Order.”

Luke saw a pattern in both of Vader’s students being expelled from their homes. He wondered if he was always meant to meet this man. “Can I ask what happened?”

“She was accused of a crime she didn't commit. I found out who did it, and the Jedi Council agreed that their decision was based on a wrongful accusation and welcomed her back, but she did not accept it,” explained Vader slowly, “She saw a side of the Order that I did not.”

“Is that why you turned to the dark side?” asked Luke. The Force screeched inside his ears, as if he was clearly trespassing. 

Vader thought about it. Now that he was telling the truth, he couldn’t stop talking. “Her departure made me start to doubt the Jedi Order, but she was not the reason why I–“

“Hey, we can talk about this some other day if it’s too much on you now.”

“No, let me finish,” answered Vader, “My head was filled with lies and remorse and I needed a way out. The Sith Lord offered me one, in exchange for the destruction of the Jedi.”

Pause.

“After it was done, I understood that he lied.”

Luke was expecting that. The Emperor could not have been a decent man, even twenty years ago. 

“I destroyed everything while trying to save everything that mattered to _me_. You must understand the remorse I have at rescuing him now.”

Luke understood that Vader's position was complicated, and that the man was torn between his past and present. His anger at his past was a dying flame that he wanted to stomp on and continue walking ahead, but that wasn't always possible. 

“I understand why you dislike Empire Day so much now. From what I've heard the Jedi Purge happened around this time.” mentioned Luke. Luke still wanted to rage and scream at Vader for taking part in the reason his parents were dead. He didn’t know what happened to his mother, but his father had been a Jedi and died before Luke was born. Vader had promised to find out the truth about their fates once the political conflict was over, and Luke knew that together they would find out what happened. 

Vader clasped his fingers together with strength, as if trying to crush the memories out of existence. The Palace they were in used to be his home; a place of peace and compassion, and now it was crawling with stormtroopers and aristocrats that served a cruel man. “Empire Day is a selfish celebration to boost the Emperor’s ego. I am only allowing it this year to hide the fact that he is missing, but we cannot hide it forever. He is either dead, or he will come back.”

Luke made a face. “Sounds like a nightmare.”

“He was.”

“Why did you serve him, then, if you hated him so much?” asked Luke.

Vader smiled at the straight-forwardness of the boy. He used to be like that at his age. He opened his mouth to speak but didn’t have any answers. Sidious was cruel and manipulative to everyone but himself: Vader had acquired the title of Supreme Commander of The Imperial Fleet because he had experience in the clone wars as a General, and also because Sidious, in his own wicked way, trusted him with the army. Why did Vader serve him, then? He was planning on overthrowing him someday, but that day never came. Maybe he owed Celissa Vanis a thank you gift for kidnapping him before Vader did.

“I cannot answer that.” replied Vader, and then looked at Luke, who was leaning on the rail of the balcony next to him. The Commander was looking at Coruscant, mesmerized at its constant activity, and Vader saw traces of his own self when he arrived at Coruscant for the first time. A young boy who grew up on Tatooine and dreamed of the stars, who had built advanced tech made of scrap, amazed at the possibilities that the galaxy could offer.

“I want him to be gone too,” said Luke, “Maybe then we could actually work on restoring the galaxy.” he suggested, playing it cool. Vader seemed to be the type of man to have his own problems that needed solving, but Luke still felt an obligation to the galaxy to restore peace. With Sidious out of the way, there was nothing stopping Vader from doing that. Luke knew Vader wanted to, but his head was in a bucket as of late. A bucket on top of the helmet.

Vader noticed the _we_ in the sentence, and smiled quietly. Even despite all he had done, this young man still chose to remain by his side, to choose him as a teacher, as a friend. If the Force was still listening to him, he sent a silent thank you.

Luke exhaled deeply. “Alright, I'm off to bed. Tomorrow's the pretend day. Things start at 0700 right?”

“You do not have to be present at those.” answered Vader.

“I want to be, also Piett said he could use some help,” explained Luke, stretching out his arms and walking inside. He stopped before he disappeared into the rooms, “You should go back inside, it’s getting cold.”

“In a minute.”

Luke walked back inside the apartment, leaving Vader on the balcony. He closed his eyes and reached out to the Force, feeling the sentient beings in every building and underground levels in a wide radius. He went back towards the barrier that was bothering him; the constant whisper that he was missing something important. He stood in front of it, the white warm fog surrounding him, and pressed a hand to the gelatine-like wall, trying to push through it. The rope that went through the wall started to vibrate from his actions.

On the other side of the apartment, Luke almost choked on water. He felt a hard knock inside the doors of his own head; and immediately jumped into the Force. He stood in front of the wall now, feeling whoever was on the other side closer than before. 

_Can you hear me?_ shouted Luke.

The Force rumbled in his ears and Luke had to use most of his energy to concentrate on what it was saying. 

Some rooms away, Vader had closed the balcony doors and his hand lingered on the handle. He felt indecipherable vibrations through the Force and tried to grasp it, but his mind was too clouded with worry. His hand moved through air, grasping nothing. He closed himself off from the Force and left.

Luke sat frozen in his bed, staring at nothing as the Force showed him the image of high mountains and two suns; a sandstorm, a familiar warmth on his skin. Luke concentrated and dissipated the sandstorm, and saw a blond boy running across crowds of people in the sand, and colliding in a woman’s arms. She called him _Ani._


End file.
